Mobile CT Machines

Understanding Mobile CT Machines for Sale

A mobile/portable CT unit can eliminate much of the fear of purchasing and installing a fixed CT unit in your facility.

The problem with a fixed CT is that a lot of the cost involved includes the installation of the CT, which is difficult to remove once installed.

Mobile CT machines virtually eliminate that risk. Here I’ll explain these advantages… and the disadvantages of purchasing a mobile CT. First, I’ll give you some background and dispel some myths.

What is a Mobile CT Scanner?

A mobile or portable CT is, technologically, the same as a fixed CT. No clear evidence exists showing that they have inferior image quality nor drawbacks when compared to a fixed CT machine.

Portable CT machines have some physical differences, however. Portable CT scanners are designed to be moved from room-to-room, while “mobile” CT machines are the same as what would be in a fixed location. Mobile CT scanners are “fixed” inside a trailer that is equipped with proper shielding.

The trailer provides heating and air conditioning, which allows it to operate in many different weather conditions. Mobile units typically withstand in external conditions of -20°F to 110°F, relying on air-conditioning, heating, and humidification units to maintain proper environmental conditions inside the trailer.

Maintenance of a mobile CT is a key factor due to the stresses in moving the system in a trailer of torque, vibration, shock, vertical and lateral movement. Because of this, it’s necessary to have a more frequent preventative maintenance schedule and quality assurance checks.

Why Buy a Mobile CT scanner?

There are two “typical” buyers of a mobile CT machine:

1. Small hospitals and healthcare facilities whose patient loads don’t justify the costs of a fixed unit. These healthcare facilities share the CT and relocate the unit based on each facilities workload or by a fixed schedule. By sharing the cost, they can each benefit from the improved patient care and revenue associated with the unit.
2. Many hospitals and medical facilities purchase a mobile or portable CT to test the viability of a full-time, fixed CT machine… thereby avoiding a potentially very costly mistake. This eliminates much of the risk of “experimenting” with the feasibility of an CT.

What is the price cost of a Mobile CT?

As with a fixed CT, there are fixed and operating costs of the mobile unit. The fixed costs of purchasing a refurbished mobile CT scanner are easier to determine because all the costs in building a trailer and customizing it to the CT machine are already taken care of.

However, operating costs of a mobile CT can be more expensive than that of a fixed unit. In a mobile situation, it typically requires a dedicated team, and there are costs associated with the driver, mileage, truck maintenance, fuel, and other costs not associated with an in-office “fixed” CT machine.

These operating costs are typically offset and justified because mobile CT units can cover a wider service as the are moved to multiple sites, generating more revenue than a fixed unit in a single location.

Key Considerations when purchasing a mobile CT machine

Mobile CT Disadvantages

• More frequent maintenance
• Not advantageous for sites that may need emergency scans because it’s possible the unit will be at a different location
• Transportation costs: Driver’s salary, fuel (including generator fuel), mileage, and insurance, which are not associated with a fixed site
• Increased downtime for site travel and more frequent maintenance and quality assurance checks
• Limited interior space and increased claustrophobia incidents

Mobile Mobile CT Advantages

• Shared costs and services between multiple sites
• Less travel for patients
• Decreased preinstallation  costs
• Increased revenue and ability to justify the purchase by receiving revenue from multiple clinics or hospitals
• Ability to alter locations based on patient volume. Flexible fixed schedule and/or on-demand
• Dramatically shorter installation time with fewer logistics issues.
• Lower initial investment

If you’re considering a mobile CT machine, or a fixed CT scanner, our sales experts can help you make the proper decision. Hopefully this helps you with a solid foundation in making this important business decision. Call one of our experts today at (877) 661-8224.

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