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posables for the equipment you want to buy. By exposing your physi-
cians to the rep's product, you can grease the negotiating wheels to
get the best deal possible for your facility.
Trade-ins and demo models. If your surgeons are willing to take last
year's model at a steep discount, your reps may have some
trade-ins or demo models available at a significantly reduced price.
Let's say your gastro doctors have been using 160 series Olympus
colonoscopes for years. Even an upgrade to the 180 series will be a
remarkable improvement. Sure, the 190 series would be top of the
line, but if you aren't budgeted for that much expense, a middle
ground might be more palatable for your bottom line, while still giving
your physicians the improvements in visibility and technology they
want. When approaching your physicians about this middle-of-the-
road approach to upgrades, ensure they're all on board. If they balk at
not having the latest and greatest, it may be worth the extra expense
to upgrade fully and preserve physician satisfaction.
Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Never take a vendor's first price as
final. There's always room to negotiate a lower purchase price, a
longer warranty period — including specified quantity of disposables
— or a longer term to pay. Always read the fine print of a contract and
make sure there is nothing in it that makes you uncomfortable. If you
don't feel savvy enough to wade through the sales jargon, find some-
one who is, so your facility is aware of the conditions and adequately
protected. OSM
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Ms. Massey (corriemassey1@gmail.com) is the
director of the Foothill Surgery Center at Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara, Calif.
