From your digital refractor to your slit lamp, taking care of your equipment is the best way to ensure its longevity and efficacy. With proper maintenance and service, you can provide better care for your patients, see a greater return on your investment, and keep your practice running smoothly and efficiently.
Preventative Care
From the time you purchase your equipment, precautions and systems should be put in place to ensure the safekeeping of each piece:
- Each piece must be sterilized after every patient to clean off bacteria that could cause damage to the equipment and prevent the spread of disease.
- Create a schedule for regular maintenance and service for your equipment. Some offices find it helpful to create a master binder that includes records of maintenance, moving and repairs, along with calendars or timetables for service. The binder also typically includes any manuals, contracts and agreements, warranties, or other hard copies of vital information. Master binders should be kept where office managers and doctors can easily access the information.
- Learn the specific maintenance needs for each piece of equipment. Some instruments should have cleanings done weekly, like dusting and wiping down less-touched surfaces, while light bulbs or small part cleaning might need to be done each month. Other pieces of equipment need annual service or support.
- Ask for training if equipment has newer technology. As equipment advances, there may be new or easier ways of operating a piece of equipment. Operating outside of the way the machine was meant to be used could cause costly damage to the equipment.
One-Stop Shopping
When purchasing equipment, one of the first things to look for in your provider is the ability to repair or maintain your purchase. A provider who works with you along the entire spectrum, from purchasing to repairing or replacing your equipment, will be able to help you find the right piece for your practice, factoring in your budget, your use, your patient schedule, and the growth you are expecting.
An ophthalmic equipment provider with an extensive service and support department will also provide the best value for practices. They understand how their equipment works, and, from the time you express interest in upgrading or replacing your machines, can help you put together a cost-effective plan that will improve your office efficiency. These providers can tell you what instruments have greater integrations and functionalities, and the technology that is available to give your patients better results and practice increased growth.
Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments
For more than 25 years, Veatch Instruments has provided ophthalmic equipment to practices around the country. Veatch offers a full range of equipment that meet the needs of practices of all sizes, including their own custom instruments. Plans and packages are available at a wide variety of price points and functionalities, from fully-integrated, multi-piece exam lanes to single, individual instruments.
Aside from being a leading vendor of ophthalmic equipment, Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments also offers general maintenance and repair services. Technicians have more than 60 years of combined experience, and are available to help meet many of your practice’s needs.
Setting up your practice: From layout to moving exam lanes, the Veatch technicians can help you maximize your efficiency, optimize the placement for electrical needs, and recalibrate pieces once the move is done.
General maintenance: To help prevent problems down the road, technicians are available for general maintenance.
Repairs: If your piece needs more in-depth repairs, Veatch technicians are factory-trained and highly skilled in working with the intricate technological instruments. There is both local and remote support, and the company offers a unique loaner program that allows practices to rent equipment until their repairs are complete. If the piece is still under warranty, practices may even be able to rent the machine for free.
Contact Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments today to learn more about taking care of your practice’s equipment.