Buying Medical Equipment for a Hospital or Clinic: What to Check

The purchase price is usually the smallest part of what a piece of hospital equipment costs you. Service visits, consumables, spare parts and downtime add up over 7 to 10 years. A good supplier is one who will still pick up the phone in year five.

Start with the licence

In India, medical devices are licensed under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017. Lower-risk Class A and B devices are licensed by the state licensing authority, and higher-risk Class C and D devices by CDSCO. Imported devices need a CDSCO import licence. Ask the supplier for the licence copy and check that the product you are buying is listed on it. X-ray, CT and other radiation equipment also need approval from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), and your site needs registration before use.

Check quality certificates

ISO 13485 is the quality standard for medical device makers. CE marking or US FDA clearance tells you the product has been through a recognised review elsewhere, which helps, but it does not replace Indian licensing. Ask for the certificate number and expiry date, not just a logo on a brochure.

Ask about service before price

Find out where the nearest service engineer is based and what response time the supplier will put in writing. For critical equipment such as ventilators and patient monitors, four to six hours is a common target in city hospitals. Ask how many units of the same model they already service nearby, and call one of those customers if you can.

Spare parts and consumables

Ask how long spare parts are guaranteed after the model is discontinued. Check whether the machine only works with the maker's own consumables, such as IV sets for infusion pumps, sensors for monitors or reagent packs for analysers. Locked consumables can cost more over a few years than the machine itself.

Warranty, CMC and AMC

Get the warranty period in writing, and the price of the comprehensive maintenance contract (CMC) or annual maintenance contract (AMC) for the years after it. A CMC usually covers parts and labour, while an AMC often covers labour and preventive visits only. Compare the total over the expected life of the equipment, not just year one.

Installation and training

Confirm whether the quote includes delivery, installation, calibration and training for your staff. For larger items, ask what site preparation you need to do first, such as power supply, earthing, oxygen lines or room shielding.

Compare like with like

Send the same written specification to every supplier so their quotes can be compared line by line. On HealthKares you can post one requirement or send one RFQ to several verified suppliers, then use Compare Quotes to see price, delivery and warranty side by side. The final contract and payment are between you and the supplier.