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10 Reasons for Hiring an Equipment Consultant
The second greatest expense in a typical healthcare
construction project is medical equipment. With
medical technology continuously evolving, healthcare
providers will continue to invest in high-tech
diagnostic and treatment systems in hopes of maximizing
efficiency and gaining a competitive edge.
Although a great deal of emphasis is placed on
meticulously planning healthcare construction
and controlling associated costs, the medical
equipment piece of the puzzle is often overlooked
or grossly underestimated. The end result is unexpected
expense and the potential for costly redesign.
In order to justify the expense of hiring a medical
equipment planning consultant, one must understand
the benefits. A skilled consultant will bring
value to your project by providing the following
benefits:
1. Budget Accuracy & Control
The first step in controlling a budget is to establish
a credible, detailed and realistic budget, ideally
in the late programming stages. A common mistake
is to assign an arbitrary number or "percentage
of construction cost" rather than the more
detailed, time consuming, and accurate room-by-room
approach. Although the former is much easier,
it usually results in a budgetary line item that
is inadequate. A detailed equipment budget is
a useful tool for capital planning purposes that
allows capital replacement to be spread over several
fiscal years in advance of project completion,
thus reducing it’s impact on the project
budget.
In order to develop a credible budget, the process
must involve the right mix of departmental input
to gain consensus and administrative review to
keep things realistic. Once the right balance
is reached, a good consultant will control costs
throughout the duration of the planning process.
2. True Need vs. Wish List Planning
This primarily involves understanding how to recognize
and work with different personality types. There
are those who ask for the moon, and there are
those who underestimate what is really needed.
A skilled consultant is able to recognize true
needs and challenge requests that are inappropriate.
Conversely, he or she will also be able to identify
deficiencies and come up with creative solutions
for resolving any shortcomings.
3. Reuse Planning
The single greatest factor impacting the medical
equipment budget is determining the amount of
existing equipment suitable for reuse. While a
good consultant will strive to maximize reuse,
a common mistake made by facilities managers and
administrators is to overestimate the amount of
reuse. In reality, the percentage of reuse rarely
exceeds one third of total equipment requirements,
often leaving a sizable and unanticipated expense.
In certain instances, relocation of fixed equipment
may not be possible without significantly impacting
operations and related revenues. One must also
consider that while equipment may currently be
in good condition, it may not be appropriate for
relocation in two or three years when the project
is completed. Furthermore, the cost, time and
disruption required to de-install and re-install
major systems may negate any real benefits, particularly
if replacement in the near future is eminent.
On the other hand, there are reuse strategies
such as phased relocation that may make financial
sense without having significant impact on the
delivery of services. Once again, a good consultant
will ask the right questions and step you through
the decision making process.
4. Actual Cost vs. Budgetary Pricing
Most hospitals use a fairly informal approach
to budgeting capital equipment. In many instances,
it can be as simple as the department manager
speaking with a sales representative and receiving
a quotation. These "budgetary" proposals
are often quoted at list price or with marginal
discounts. Considering that equipment budgets
for building projects are usually multi-million
dollar amounts, the ability to budget at actual,
discounted purchase prices rather than with inflated
budgetary estimates provides a much more realistic
overall budget. The size of most project purchases
entitles hospitals to volume discounts that often
exceed group purchasing contract discounts. A
good consultant draws upon current and past experience
to adjust budgets to more realistic net cost levels
and then applies a reasonable inflation factor
and / or contingency if appropriate.
5. Building Design Implications
Equipment issues impacting building design include
space requirements and placement, ventilation,
concrete reinforcement, sound and vibration abatement,
siting, shielding, plumbing, and high voltage
requirements to name a few. Addressing medical
equipment issues in the early stages of a building
project can help avoid costly redesign later.
Ideally, equipment planning should begin in the
late programming or early schematic design phases.
Equipment planning is often overlooked until it
becomes an obstacle in the architects’ design
progression, at which time a consultant is hired.
However, in order to reap the full benefits of
equipment planning, the work should begin when
the architect is determining how space will be
allocated, designed, and engineered.
6. Schedule Adherence
In order to keep the design and construction process
moving, equipment issues need to be addressed
in a timely manner. For example, room design issues
relating to a new linear accelerator need to be
addressed sooner rather than later. Few hospitals
have the staffing to provide the time and expertise
required to meet the needs of the project team.
By the time hospital management realizes that
the process of planning equipment for a building
project is more complicated than expected, equipment
consultants are often brought in late in the process.
7. Planning Perspective
A new facility presents opportunity for change
and improvement in operating efficiencies. At
times, organizations tend to be introspective
and often end up recreating what they already
have instead of seizing the opportunity for innovation
and a better way of delivering services. A knowledgeable
consultant brings fresh ideas and a broader experience
base from which to draw upon.
8. Knowledge of Building Process
Hospitals and other health facilities are some
of the most complex buildings in today’s
society. Successful projects are run by highly
motivated, experienced, and well-managed teams.
While most hospital staff members may only work
on one or two building projects in their careers,
a consultant may work on 5 or more projects in
any given year. Therefore, an equipment consultant
that is intimately familiar with the hospital
building process and the various needs of the
architects, engineers, builders, and hospital
management, will ensure the timely flow of information.
9. Relevant Experience
Before hiring a medical equipment planning consultant,
it is important to be sure there is a good fit
between your project and the consultant’s
recent, relevant experience. One of the major
benefits of hiring a consultant is the depth of
experience that comes from working on other projects.
Before hiring a consultant, be sure to check that
he or she has planned similar facilities, and
check references to verify his or her credibility.
10. Cost Savings
Since medical equipment planners are constantly
involved in assisting hospitals with procurement
of equipment, they tend to have a good handle
on potential discounts and fair pricing. In most
instances, their pricing knowledge will result
in purchase savings that far exceed their consulting
fees.
A common misconception is that hospitals are
getting the best possible pricing through their
purchasing groups. Building projects present opportunities
for hospitals to justify additional discounts
based on volume purchases and to bundle or package
various types of equipment, thus making the business
much more appealing to a vendor. New facilities
also present an opportunity for vendors to showcase
their equipment for future customers. When the
consultant presents this opportunity properly,
vendors will view this as an incentive to offer
exceptionally good pricing.
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