[Amps] 3CX1500A vs el cheapo GS-35B

[Randall, Randy]

The timed replacement is to prevent downtime not to waste money just because someone else is paying the bill.   Its purpose is to save big money.  Think about it.  At $2000 a study, 3 per hour (or more) and an average 12 hour working day = $72,000 per day gross lost if the MRI is down not to mention the separate loss to the Radiologist who are not making money since there are no MRI studies to read.  Radiologists get incensed (in about 1 micro second) if you mess with their income.  I know this from personal experience.  Don't forget the patient who now has to reschedule their appointment.  The manufacturer knows where on the tubes failure rate curve that the sweet spot between replacement cost and downtime exists.  I have worked with Radiology techs on equipment before and no one wants to hear that any modality is non-functional if it can be prevented.


Randy E. Randall AB9GO
Network Engineer
UC Health
Randy.Randall at UCHealth.com
Phone 513-585-7146
Fax 513-585-7159


-----Original Message-----
From: amps-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bill, W6WRT
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 6:59 PM
To: AMPS
Subject: Re: [Amps] 3CX1500A vs el cheapo GS-35B

I don't want to belabor this thread any longer, but what you say below is exactly what's wrong with medical industry in America. When money flows like water, nobody is thinking about cost reduction and they have every excuse in the world why "it can't be done".

Too many of these decisions are driven by lawyers instead of doctors and professional administrators.

As simple as that.

73, Bill W6WRT





On Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:15:59 -0500, Gary wrote:

>That's not how it works Bill.  This is a medical device we're talking
>about and it's use and repair is regulated by the FDA and maybe state
>law..  Not something "anyone" could swap out.
>
>I'm not intimately familiar with MRI maintenance but I'd bet there is
>quite a detailed calibration and qualification procedure involved when
>a tube is swapped.  My brother used to be a field service engineer for
>a company that manufactured laser eye surgery equipment.  One of the
>things he frequently replaced was a bunch of AA batteries in each
>machine.  These had to be done by the manufacturer.  I used to have a
>lifetime supply of AA batteries. Hospital maintenance technicians will
>not and do not mess with the internals of medical equipment...for good
>reason.
>
>The cost of replacing the tube is small compared to having a MRI be
>unavailable...not to mention the need to have an MRI in an emergency.
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