It’s no secret that PET and CT imaging systems can take up a lot of real estate. And that’s usually not a problem for large, high 
volume medical practices or hospitals. But what if you have a smaller practice or lower-volume rural hospital? Square footage can be limited, but the need will still exist for medical imaging. That’s where a mobile imaging service could be an option. Here are the three areas to consider when deciding between in-house equipment and the use of a mobile service.
Let’s Talk About Money
Medical imaging equipment is expensive. Really expensive. The cost of the personnel required to operate this equipment is also expensive, as is maintenance and even the pharmaceuticals that are necessary..
It doesn’t make sense to make that kind of capital investment unless you know that your practice or facility can recoup the cost in a reasonable period of time. If the numbers don’t add up, it’s a good idea to explore the option of using a mobile imaging service. When you use a mobile imaging service, the service is responsible for the costs of the equipment, staffing, maintenance, management and supplies.
Volume of Work
How many patients will need CT or PET scans in the course of a month? Or a year? If you don’t have enough patient volume, buying CT or PET equipment won’t make sense, as it won’t be a profit center for you. A mobile imaging service allows you to determine how often you need the services. It lets you to offer an important service to your patients without you making a huge investment. You also get to determine the length of the contract with your mobile imaging service provider. You might start out using the service, and as the need grows, you can then purchase and install equipment to match the demand.
Do You Have Room?
Even if you have the demand for medical imaging services for your patients, your facility may simply not have enough room for in-house equipment. Or, the cost of real estate in your market may be too high to justify the permanent installation of medical imaging equipment. Either way, sometimes it makes more sense to utilize a mobile medical imaging unit that can fit into a parking space or two in your parking lot.
Does Permanent Medical Imaging Equipment Make Sense?
If you’re not sure if your clinic or hospital can support installing its own medical imaging equipment, talk to an expert at Atlantis Worldwide. We can help determine if your patient base, facilities costs and space requirements is sufficient, or if mobile diagnostic imaging makes more sense for you. We are here to help! Contact Us Today!
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Meet the author: Vikki Harmonay
