Medical Imaging Equipment – Used, Refurbished, or OEM Refurbished?

In the market of used medical imaging equipment, the terminology may not always be clear – used, refurbished, or OEM refurbished?

Here we said “used”, but you might also see the terms: “pre-owned”, “refurbished”, and “OEM refurbished”.

Often, people use the terms interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. To make things even more confusing, a term like refurbished, have different meanings depending on who you ask.

Before we explain how to tell whether a system is used, refurbished, or OEM refurbished, we would like to stress that to us, “pre-owned” encompass all three terms. Therefore it does not give any information about the condition of the system.

LBN Medical can provide you with used, refurbished, and OEM refurbished medical equipment. These three product categories have been through three different processes in our warehouse.

Used Imaging Equipment

Used equipment is a very broad category. There is no real standard in this industry, so remember to ask specifically what the company has done to the equipment.

Some simply move the systems and do nothing regarding cleaning, updating, etc. Companies usually sell “as is”, with the same options and configurations that the previous owner had.

At LBN we mostly sell used equipment, but we do a lot more than simply move the systems. We receive all equipment at our warehouse in Aalborg, Denmark and then our professional staff gets to work.

We have experienced technicians who, clean, disinfect, remove patient data, and do a full functionality check of all systems. If there is a problem with the system, they will of course repair or replace the relevant parts. This also gives the customer the option to have some influence on the configurations of the system, as we can sometimes add model compatible options.

Many in the industry will call this process refurbishment, but for us, it is not – see reason below. Besides, we provide 7 days warranty on most systems, to allow customers to unpack and check the systems within warranty.

Refurbished Imaging Equipment

The term refurbished or “seller refurbished” as some call it, is a much-used phrase, but many call it refurbished when it is actually used.

Refurbished describes a system where a more systematic process has been applied. This might include cosmetic aspects, like cleaning, painting, or replacement of covers, and functionality, like parts replacement or unlocking options available for the model. However the companies themselves define what that they need to do, and it may vary.

To be safe ask the seller what they have done, replaced, and checked on the unit.

Refurbished equipment gives the customer greater security, and increases the quality of the equipment, at a budget slightly above used.

At LBN we do offer refurbished systems. We can change parts – and we always use original parts, paint covers, unlock options, and much more, but we often do it based on the customer’s specific budget and needs.

OEM Refurbished Imaging Equipment

OEM refurbishment is a complete and heavier ISO process. It follows the GRP – Good Refurbishment Practice, from COCIR (the European Trade Association representing the medical imaging, radiotherapy, health ICT, and electro-medical industries).

That it is OEM means that the original manufacturer of the system controls the process. It is a detailed process, that starts with the selection of the systems. They only select the best units with clean service records. Thereafter, these systems go through a complete set of industrial procedures. This includes software upgrades to the latest edition for the model, replacement of most cosmetic parts, and more. OEM refurbished equipment is a good alternative to new.

You will get the high quality at an attractive price, with a manufacturer warranty.

LBN Medical has had ISO certification 13485 since 2009. Partnerships with various OEMs have been a great source of experience and best practices that we apply to all products.

This was our take on the different terms, we hope it has cleared out some confusion. It is important to us that our customers know what we stand for, and what they can expect from our products – whether they buy used refurbished or OEM refurbished products.

Ask our sales team if you have further questions regarding used, refurbished, or OEM refurbished, or any other matter before you purchase from us.

See the medical imaging equipment that we offer.

Refurbished Products

Selection of Refurbished Medical Imaging Equipment