Advantages of Investing in Quality Surgical Equipment

It can seem counterintuitive: How can an expensive instrument that costs several hundred dollars, helps you save money when there are cheaper, lower-quality options available?

Here are four specific justifications:

1. Longevity

Longevity is always a consideration in the manufacturing of high-quality surgical tools. They are made by professionals in metallurgy and instrument design who know how to make surgical instruments with the best performance and durability possible. For instance, reputable manufacturers like Peak Surgicals would never use lesser grade metal over stainless steel since it will considerably increase the lifetime of the instrument.

They also make ceramic-coated instruments, which have a surface hardness that is four to five times greater than stainless steel, less abrasive, and more resistant to rust and corrosion. Another high-performance metal known for its greater durability, Titanium, which is likewise fractured- and rust-proof, might potentially be used to manufacture instruments. Additionally, handcrafted instruments have a far longer lifespan than those created by machines.

For instance, it was discovered that 74% of the Stille surgical scissors used in a busy surgical center were older than 50 years in a study to see whether Stille hand-crafted surgical scissors had lived up to the manufacturer guarantee of 30 years.

2. Price-per-Use

Long-lasting surgical tools are undoubtedly valued by top surgeons and the sterilizing services team, but procurement teams tasked with cutting operating room expenses may find it difficult to justify higher upfront prices for these goods. This is when comparing lifetime warranties may truly highlight the benefits of investing in higher-quality instruments.

The greatest quality instruments will always perform best in terms of value for money, as can be proven by simply comparing the duration of instrument warranties and dividing those periods either by instrument cost or instrument usage. 

Whatever instrument you're seeking to buy, be sure to do your homework on the different manufacturer warranties before making any purchases since obviously, high-quality instruments with the longest warranties will prove to be the most cost-effective. While best companies like Peak Surgicals provide a 30-year warranty, others could only provide one to five years.

If your procurement team is instead thinking about single-use disposable instruments, a cost-in-use comparison with a high-quality reusable instrument will always demonstrate the latter to be the most cost-effective purchase.

The entire cost of single-use equipment, for instance, would have been more than seven times that of reusable devices, according to a study of laparoscopic instruments.

3. Low maintenance expenses

High-quality surgical tools sometimes only need maintenance every few years, and some manufacturers even include the first service in the original purchase price, which reduces the cost of ownership.

In addition, certain high-quality instruments are designed to be able to be disassembled for a comprehensive examination of corrosion at the joints during manufacturer service, therefore extending the life of the instrument.

Low-quality instruments are more prone to develop hairline cracks and corroded surfaces, which makes effective service impossible. They will also need servicing more often, increasing costs and disrupting the availability of instruments.

4. Lower Environmental Cost

In many instances, selecting long-lasting, high-quality instruments over less expensive reusable ones has a positive impact on the environment.  This is because, although requiring more energy to produce, reusable scissors are used thousands of times more often than disposable ones.

High-quality reusable surgical tools need less paperwork, packing, labeling, and shipping during service, which has a lower overall environmental effect than low-quality ones.

Hold out for superior products

As shown above, even in the face of considerable economic difficulties, it is simple to justify that higher expenditure for buying high-quality reusable surgical tools is a reasonable choice to take.