Anesthesia Equipment Roundtable Emphasizes Cost-Effective Solutions

Current trends in anesthesia equipment, anesthesia market futures, and the challenges of purchasing and servicing such equipment were considered in a roundtable forum.

Key discussion points were low-flow anesthesia and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) technology features, as these trends dominate current anesthesia technology and lead to significant savings across the healthcare spectrum. Forum participants stressed low-flow anesthesia solutions since volatile anesthetics tend to be a major cost driver in anesthesia delivery, and spoke to the need for real-time EMR integration and networking in the service of cutting costs and improving clinical documentation.

A cost-cutting solution put forward by forum participant Ashish Dhammam (Soma Technology; Bloomfield, CT, USA) recommended using refurbished equipment and/or extending upgrades over two fiscal periods as an alternative to the high cost of the latest technology. As an example, Mr. Dhammam suggested that a provider might invest in an anesthesia machine this year and upgrade its monitors in the following fiscal year.

Soma technology specializes in outfitting healthcare facilities with quality new and refurbished medical equipment. Some technology provides comprehensive solutions, OEM trained biomedical engineers, and customizable service packages.

The full transcript of the “Anesthesia Equipment--The Round Table” was published online January 2012 in TechNation (please see Related Links below).

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