This article is from in the August 2007 issue of DOTmed Business News. A list of registered users that provide sales & service can be found at the end.

Intravenous infusion pumps are very plentiful at most hospitals. In fact, about 70 percent of hospital beds are equipped with them; a 500-bed hospital has about 350 pumps, industry experts on DOTmed.com estimate. "It's the number one, quantity piece of electronic equipment in a hospital. There are more pumps than anything else," said Joseph Cramer, President, IV Technologies, Inc., Upperville, Va., which recertifies and sells used infusion pumps and replacement parts.

While they are common devices, don't think of these precision instruments as commodity items to be bought on price alone. Hospitals can save significantly by buying or selling used equipment, but it's important to work with a trusted Independent Service Organization (ISO). For example, IV Technologies uses a state-of-the-art Certamatic recertification system to test each pump according to Joint Commission standards. "Each pump comes out with documentation that it has passed or exceeded the OEM specifications... and we warranty it for six months," Cramer said.
ISOs often employ experienced service personnel with OEM experience who ensure that the equipment is in perfect working order before it is sold to rental companies or directly to hospitals and clinics, or to other brokers. The process extends the life cycle of medical equipment to tamp down operating costs. ISOs typically purchase used pumps from hospitals that are upgrading or switching to a different OEM supplier, so selling equipment also represents a potential for liquidating inventory that is otherwise costly to store or recycle.




Some ISOs export to other countries. "A lot of hospitals put their old pumps in storage. The longer they sit there, the more service they need when they are finally taken out. Meanwhile, many countries are interested in importing older pumps because they can't afford the brand new stuff," said Greg Oggel, Green Cross Medical, Ventura, Calif. "The hospital has all that asset value sitting in a closet wasting away and wasting overhead. There's a value in selling them to make money for the hospital, save space, and do a good deed on top of everything else." Green Cross is a non-profit that exports to Peru, Argentina, India, the Philippines and elsewhere.

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