If you are employed as a biomedical engineering technician, you may be in charge of tracking down and buying medical imaging parts for the biomedical equipment that you maintain. As you already know, there is a multitude of providers of medical imaging parts for you to choose from. So, how do you choose a medical imaging parts supplier?



Inventory � The most important thing to remember is that whatever medical imaging parts supplier you choose to work with must carry replacement pieces for the equipment you maintain. The majority of vendors have convenient on-line supply lists that will help you determine which suppliers meet your medical imaging parts needs.





Cost � Cost isn’t a straightforward issue. If you search for the lowest price tag, you may find yourself with bad quality medical imaging parts. On the other hand, you certainly do not want to get burned by paying the highest prices if you don�t have to. There are two things you ought to consider. First, is the medical imaging part inherently intricate so that you ought to use the �get what you pay for� principle and buy premium? Or, is the part relatively uncomplicated so that the �plain vanilla� low cost type will be sufficient? Second, if the total amount of money you will spend is considerable enough to warrant the work, glance at all the prices out in the marketplace. If there’s a general range, that probably means that you will be charged about the same price everywhere, so go ahead and buy the medical imaging part based on other factors. If there are dramatic highs and lows, you require an understanding of why these differences exist. For example, is the low priced supplier doing so well that he can afford to give discounts? Or is he selling a low-quality product?



Warranty � What type of warranty is offered by the supplier? If medical imaging parts are refurbished, who is refurbishing? Is there ISO-based quality control?



Return/Exchange policy � What is their policy for returning a medical imaging part that has been incorrectly ordered? Is there a time limit? Can you get your money back or is it exchange only?



Shipping � S&H charges are sometimes the veiled high cost element of the purchase price. Make sure you are aware of all S&H costs ahead of time. Furthermore, can the company assure you that you will be able to receive medical imaging parts overnight?



Customer service � Will the company help you to work out any problems, whatever they may be? Is customer service available 24/7? Are there BMETs on hand to assist you in troubleshooting medical imaging parts issues if and when you need them?



When evaluating distributors always use this checklist. Choose two or three vendors that you can rely on. You shouldn’t depend solely on one vendor; remember the �all your eggs in one basket� rule.



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