Why You Should Upgrade to a New Ultrasound Machine

National Ultrasound - The Top 4 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Ultrasound Machine

Running the most efficient practice should be a top priority for any physician today. But it isn’t easy if you haven’t leveraged the latest ultrasound technology in your clinic. Newer ultrasound machines provide faster and more accurate diagnostic capabilities, leading to faster patient throughput, outcomes, and satisfaction. Sound too good to be true?

Unbelievable as it may sound, ultrasound – the new stethoscope of the medical industry – indeed provides incredible benefits to medical practitioners in every specialty. With rapid advances, ultrasound equipment and applications have revolutionized patient care across all types of facilities. To top it all, ultrasound machine cost isn’t a deterrent anymore.

As ultrasound equipment is becoming increasingly smaller and sophisticated, the price of ultrasound machines is reducing too! From portable ultrasound machines to handheld devices, highly advanced equipment with improved ergonomics, superior imaging, and exceptional features and functionality are an asset in any practice.

If you haven’t equipped your clinic with new ultrasound technology yet, it’s time to adopt a state-of-the-art ultrasound system to offer improved patient care.

Reasons for Investing in Newer Ultrasound Equipment

Buying ultrasound equipment for your practice is a valuable decision, given the cost of ultrasound machines. But ultrasound machine investments offer exceptional returns, with a host of tangible and intangible benefits like enhanced accuracy, speed, and improved patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Above all, ultrasound imaging is the preferred diagnostic tool today and its demand is only expected to grow, thanks to its safety, non-invasiveness, and ease of use. According to a forecast done by the P&T Community, demand for new ultrasound imaging devices is expected to rise significantly during the forecast period from 2019 – 2024.

Practices that leverage the latest ultrasound technologies will have a distinct competitive edge. Let’s explore some of the most compelling reasons to upgrade your ultrasound system:

Reason 1: The Investment Is Worth It

Old ultrasound equipment requires frequent upkeep, which can prove to be costly and, not to mention, inconvenient. Once your ultrasound machine hits 5-7 years of age, that’s when the big maintenance bills start rolling in.

The average on-site service call to repair malfunctioning equipment is over $2,000, and that can be just for one part of the machine. This doesn’t guarantee that another part of your ultrasound won’t break down the following month, which could mean another $2,000 out the window. You also need to account for the wait-time spent getting a technician out to your office and for a new piece of equipment to ship. In addition, it may be hard to find replacement parts for older machines.

Many times, when analyzing an ultrasound machine’s cost, it’s easy to neglect considering the hidden costs of malfunctioning or refurbished equipment. While these costs can be hard to estimate, they are not insignificant by any means and can even cause irreparable damage. For instance, downtime can run into thousands of dollars and lead to patient inconvenience and dissatisfaction, running the risk of losing patients to competitors. In contrast, new ultrasound machines come with a 2, 3 or 5-year warranty for parts and labor which means no upkeep costs.

As cost-efficient as it may seem, continuing to use outdated ultrasound equipment, is in fact, counterintuitive and certainly not worth its financial consequences. In contrast, newer equipment offers exponential improvements in accuracy, speed, and ease-of-use. New ultrasound machine costs can range from $5,000 for machines with basic functionality to $200,000 for high-end machines.

While the cost of new ultrasound machines can be a big decision, they provide good investment returns while enhancing your diagnostic confidence and efficiency.

Reason 2: Your Current Ultrasound Machine has Obsolete Technology

It’s no surprise that technology is moving at lightning speed, but this also means that your practice needs to be moving at the same pace to keep up. Even if your ultrasound machine is just a couple of years old, it’s probably not providing the advanced functionality offered by the latest equipment available today.

Image quality and speed not only impact a physician’s ability to do their job properly but also drive patient throughput. With the improved ergonomics, speed, and mobility of newer ultrasound machines comes efficiency. New portable ultrasound machines can be easily wheeled from room to room, reducing patient wait times.

Newer systems are also versatile and come with a set of different transducers, allowing a wide range of applications and examinations. Plus they’re more adaptable, enabling operators to quickly and easily switch from one type of examination or one patient to another.

In addition customizable presets and streamlined workflow with features like Auto Optimization minimize the time spent with each patient. This not only improves the number of patients a physician can see in an hour but also improves patient experience and satisfaction.

Reason 3: Privacy of the Patients

With new and advanced technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), an advanced technology that connects devices over a vast network, precautions and safeguards are a must when it comes to ensuring patient privacy.

IoT-enabled ultrasound devices enhance collaboration and operational efficiencies by enabling practitioners to consult with other doctors and patients. Advanced communication technologies allow transmission of exam results by syncing information between multiple devices and across various platforms.

Since medical information can be easily transferred across networks, security is a prime concern. But there’s no reason to worry. Modern ultrasound machines are equipped with more advanced security measures that will keep patient data secure and adhere to HIPAA compliance laws.

Reason 4: Improves the Diagnostic Decisions of Doctors

Last but most important is that newer ultrasound technology helps improve the diagnostic decisions of physicians. Not only is a misdiagnosis uncomfortable and perhaps even life-threatening to patients but can also be a waste of resources, depending on its severity.

Modern ultrasound machines utilize advanced technology like high-contrast resolution, multi-bean formation, one-touch image optimization, high-fidelity transmission, and noise reduction to provide exceptional imaging capabilities. High-quality images, in turn, provide enhanced visualization with precision and clarity, allowing physicians to make more accurate diagnoses and with a higher degree of confidence.

Even compact and portable ultrasound machines today offer advanced imaging capabilities that were once only associated with cart-based systems, at an affordable ultrasound machine cost.

With the recent innovations in sonography, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your ultrasound system. Want to purchase an ultrasound machine or learn more about the benefits of an upgraded ultrasound machine? Download this comprehensive eBook to learn more about the specifics of what type of ultrasound is best for your practice.