Guide: Avoiding Technology Obsolescence in X-ray Equipment

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A strategic approach to X-ray purchases.

Radiologic technology is advancing at an extraordinary and ever-accelerating pace. Ongoing advances help empower radiology departments to continually increase their efficiency as well as their standard of care.

However, this rapid evolution can mean that expensive imaging equipment becomes obsolete too quickly. It is not uncommon for equipment to become outdated well before it has reached the end of its useful life. This can force facilities that want to remain on the cutting edge to replace equipment on an all-too-frequent basis, incurring costs that few departments in this age of tightening budgets can afford.

In light of this serious challenge, how can you run a facility with the best and latest technology… and at the same time minimize financial costs? The solution is to choose technology and equipment that is future proof. In other words, select technology that is designed to be scalable and grow along with your evolving needs. This can minimize worries about technology obsolescence, extend the life of your existing equipment, and enable you to leverage your current investments.

This is what it means for your imaging solutions to be Right for Today, Ready for Tomorrow.

The path to minimizing technology obsolescence in X-ray equipment

The first step is to identify and incorporate growth scenarios into your long-term planning and design. Additionally, develop projections for your service and uptime requirements based on your facility type, equipment utilization, and degree of equipment redundancy.

You will also need to examine any shifting trends in the demographics and needs of your patient base. Finally, you should assess where you are now in the imaging continuum. Are you imaging on film; have you upgraded to Computed Radiography (CR); or have you stepped all the way up to the benefits of full Digital Radiography (DR)? Whatever your current technology and migration path, you will need to establish a timeframe and budgetary parameters for progressing to the next level.

Modularity and scalability are foundation of future growth

The foundation for a future-proof strategy emphasizes modular capital purchases and professional services to reduce risk, and to increase flexibility and adaptability to change.

Carestream’s broad portfolio of X-ray solutions are based on an exceptionally modular platform. They can help meet your imaging needs wherever your facility is on the imaging continuum today. And they offer a bridge to the next level of X-ray technology and services when you are ready. For example:

• If you are currently using film and plan to continue this for some time, consider our Ascend analog X-ray system and X-ray film that represent the gold standard for the industry.
• When you’re ready, Carestream can help you upgrade to CR—without the need to purchase all-new components for your X-ray room. Because of modular capabilities, funds are spent only on the technologies needed. This avoids unnecessary spend on hardware or software that is not needed, but cannot be dissociated from the original technology.
• In the future, you can move into DR imaging while still protecting your current X-ray investment. Carestream’s DRX-1 System allows you to convert existing CR rooms (regardless of the manufacturer or model) to DR with a state of the art wireless, digital detector that is fully compatible and sharable with the other DRX equipment across your entire facility.
• Moreover, you can just as easily jump into DR from film.

Right for today; ready for tomorrow

Carestream’s future-thinking design philosophy applies to our professional services as well as hardware. We can partner with you to evaluate your present needs and help lay out a plan for the future that will evolve along with your changing requirements. In addition, our teams can work alongside your professionals to help keep your imaging equipment running at its peak performance.

As radiology departments and imaging facilities navigate their future, the need to tap advancing technology while containing costs will continue to be a formidable challenge. To succeed, the smartest strategy is to invest in imaging solutions that will adapt to your needs as you progress along the imaging continuum.

Where are you on the imaging continuum? Use our trail map to plan your path forward.

Learn more on Everything Rad

Radiology Equipment Selection Begins with Understanding Workflows

Radiology Room Requirements for Medical Imaging

SERAM’s Guidelines for Renewal and Technology Update in Radiology

Read the blog by North Colorado Medical Center on X-ray Room Equipment Evaluation and Planning

Sarah Verna is Carestream’s Worldwide Marketing Manager for X-ray Solutions. #xrayobsolescence #xrayequipment #CRtoDR