Investing in best-in-class equipment helps increase efficiency and improve care provision, ensuring patients receive the best treatment possible in a timely and effective manner.
However, state-of-the-art equipment often requires significant investment, meaning budget limitations and other financial challenges can often prevent healthcare providers from investing in new or upgraded equipment.
For suppliers, it’s crucial to have solutions in place that support customer bases when investing in new equipment and technologies, providing alternative ways of accessing these.
In this blog, we explore the importance of investing in the latest healthcare equipment, examining the challenges, and detailing how a branded finance agreement could be the ideal solution for budget challenges.
The importance of investing in healthcare equipment
New technologies and equipment are at the forefront of effective patient care, helping drive efficiencies while also enhancing patient experience. With technology continuously advancing, there are countless new and more innovative solutions for treating medical conditions which allow healthcare providers to enhance service provisions.
There are several non-financial factors to be considered before making any form of investment in a new technology:
- How will this support the businesses’ overall growth strategy and goals?
- What are the pros and cons of the investment?
- What alternative investment opportunities are there?
- What are the short and long-term benefits of investing in the equipment? For example, handling backlogs in procedures etc.
Identifying these responses is key to supporting whether to invest in new equipment. From here, it’s then time to consider the financial implications:
- How will this improve efficiencies?
- Will it facilitate an increase in procedures?
- What is the rate of return on the investment?
- What could the additional cash flow benefits look like?
What are some of the challenges to investing in medical equipment?
Investing in the latest technologies can be expensive, with budget challenges in the public sector being a significant barrier to upgrading equipment.
The NHS is experiencing unprecedented financial pressures, with insights showing that spending would need to be increased by 3% yearly for the next 15 years for the health service to keep providing the same level of service it does today.
Ultimately, investment in new equipment stalls due to a lack of capital availability. When it comes to budget allocation, there are often higher priority investments, such as essential infrastructure improvements, which can result in a shortage of capital for upgrading equipment which may be considered less urgent.
Healthcare equipment financing
Healthcare equipment financing offers many benefits for healthcare organisations, medical centres, and hospitals, allowing investment in new, cutting-edge technology that will improve care provisions without having to utilise capital budgets.
Offering a finance solution allows a supplier to sell equipment via an agreed monthly repayment schedule. Procurement via a flexible finance agreement can be the key to unlocking certain opportunities allowing suppliers to generate more sales as it makes the equipment more attainable.
How does healthcare equipment finance work?
SAF Solutions can develop bespoke finance options for suppliers who want to offer customers an alternative way of investing in the latest technology.
We work closely with our suppliers’ sales teams to understand the financial drivers and challenges faced by end-users to help inform and design a procurement solution that will respond to these.
Finance solutions can then be introduced that will allow healthcare organisations to benefit from new equipment immediately, without compromising on other, high-priority investments that may be needed elsewhere. For suppliers, offering healthcare equipment finance solutions enhances trust with end-users, demonstrating an understanding of the financial challenges faced when it comes to purchasing new equipment.
How SAF can help
At SAF, we have facilitated numerous healthcare equipment sales through flexible finance solutions. With more than 15 years of experience within the sector, working with a wide range of suppliers, from ophthalmic equipment manufacturers to hospital bed suppliers to introduce financial solutions that alleviate the need for upfront capital, allowing end users to utilise a monthly repayment plan.
We partner with suppliers to help them understand the many benefits of a structured finance agreement, by designing bespoke solutions that meet the needs of both supplier and end user. Get in touch with our experienced team today: info@saf-solutions.com