"I use robotics in my
practice," says Dr.
Soans. "If monitors
aren't compatible with
the robotic imaging
equipment, it wouldn't
make sense to
upgrade."
Working with
reps
A successful imaging
upgrade largely
depends on how you approach the vendor-selection process. That
means you need to do the bulk of your research well before you reach
out to manufacturers of video equipment, so you know what you're
looking for and what they can provide. It's also a good idea to limit
your search to no more than four companies to avoid feeling over-
whelmed with the options. "We worked with three different vendors
that we trialed over the course of several months," says Mr.
Kaczmarek.
In the end, if you're routing a lot of different equipment through
your visualization system, having a single, reliable vendor may be the
deciding factor. "As an orthopedic surgeon, I use a lot of different
equipment — pumps, radiofrequency devices, burrs, shavers and
more," says Shane J. Nho, MD, MS, FAAOS, sports medicine specialist
at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, Ill. "Ideally, I want one
video system to plug into and out of, not different sources [to man-
age]."
Vendor reps ultimately determine how quickly you can get your new
1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
• FIND THE RIGHT FIT While you'll want to trial at least a couple different vendors
before you upgrade systems, compatibility with your OR technology may be the
deciding factor.
