title: Equipment costs. The neonatal intensive care unit and the modern obstetric unit.
abstract: In summary, the cost of equipment depends on a plethora of factors. In purchasing equipment, while cost is a major consideration, it should not be the sole determinant. Other major concerns include prepurchase evaluation opportunity, repair capabilities, breakdown frequency, capability for emergency repair, self-monitoring systems built into equipment, personnel education on the use of the equipment, other services offered by the company, trade-in capability, reliability of the company, and restrictions established by the Hospital's Standardization committee. The Emergency Care Research Institute is considered to be the "consumer's guide" for sophisticated hospital equipment and issues a publication called Health Devices, which reviews the results of their findings. Also the Medical Device Register is a single source of information on medical equipment and suppliers.
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003696:Delivery Rooms / Q000191:economics; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000191:economics*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000191:economics*; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D011997:Recovery Room / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States