Certain technologies have become so commonplace that households with computers, tablets, smartphones, and other electronic devices have become the norm. Even with constant advances in consumer electronics, the latest technologies are still relatively affordable (or they will be if you wait a year).
Unfortunately, the same is not always true within the healthcare industry. Like other aspects of medicine, the most up-to-date technologies can suffer from high prices. That said, there are ways to offset the costs of purchasing new tech for your medical practice and there are several reasons why you should remain current where technology is concerned.
Improved Patient Care
The first and most important reason to stay current with relevant technology is to provide the best possible care to your patients. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to purchase new equipment or hardware every year, but you should at least provide regular maintenance and updates to ensure that you’re not falling too far behind.
With all the advances in health informatics of late, you may find it difficult to keep up with industry trends over the coming years. The important thing is to do some research into which products offer the most useful features, receive the best support, are the best fit for your practice, and are the most likely to provide ongoing value.
As for offsetting the purchase price, use value will play a role. The more you are likely to use a technology, the more valuable it is to your practice. In addition, having the latest technologies could help you to retain satisfied patients.
Efficiency
Not every new technology that hits the market is going to significantly improve your practice. Some, however, are likely to increase efficiency. Just look at new apps for tablets and other mobile devices that allow doctors to take patient notes just once in the exam room instead of writing them out by hand and transcribing them to a digital format later. Doctors can even send prescriptions with the push of a button while they’re with a patient instead of writing them out or having a nurse call them in.
Increased efficiency in the office could allow doctors the time to see more patients, earning more for the practice and offsetting the cost of purchasing new technology.
Competition
As a doctor, your primary concern is the health of your patients. However, you are running a business, which means you have an onus to deliver competitive services. You can’t help anyone if you can’t keep patients coming in.