Still — crunch the numbers. "Some less expensive offerings make
better sense for some surgery centers," says Mr. Eisenberg. Do you
have competition in the community, and would 4K make you better
than them? Look at the acquisition costs, but also look at the cost of
ownership. With your given case mix, how much is it really going to
cost to acquire and use this equipment for each case?
Mr. Bucher says his hospital's 4K systems have paid for themselves
many times over thanks to the added efficiency in which surgeons can
operate. "They don't have to squint [to see anatomical details]," he
explains. "The visual color and the identification of parts of the anato-
my are much clearer now, which saves time in the OR."
Keep in mind that 4K can help you differentiate yourself in your
market — not just to consumers, but perhaps more importantly, to
referring physicians. "One of the things we considered was whether
4K could give us a competitive advantage in our market," says Mr.
Eisenberg. That didn't involve marketing to consumers, though, but
rather to the center's referral sources "to let them know their patients
will be cared for in a place that's invested in the latest and greatest
technology."
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