A medical equipment manufacturer creates, manufactures, and services medical products for both commercial and private clients. A typical manufacturer spends a significant amount of time researching and developing the next generation of medical equipment. In some cases, after extensive quality review and field testing, these products can move from the factory to medical offices and retail outlets. Manufacturers may be able to boost sales implementing educational programs and targeting specific audiences with advertisements. Delivering the device to an institutional client or other venue is the final step for medical equipment manufacturers.
Years of research and development are required in the medical equipment industry. The industry is frequently divided into two types of businesses: general manufacturers and niche businesses. To reach a larger customer base, a general manufacturer will develop hundreds of medical products ranging from hearing aids to MRI machines. Most niche businesses focus on developing products for a specific disease, medical specialty, or procedure.
Medical equipment that is useful for public health may be developed as a result of the research and development process. Only after extensive testing is this equipment released to hospitals and practitioners. To avoid defective parts and poor performance, many manufacturers employ multiple layers of quality assurance testing. Medical equipment prototypes are occasionally distributed to physicians and health clinics for testing in a controlled environment. At conferences and technology expos, a medical equipment manufacturer may show off its newest products.
Public education programs can help pave the way from field testing to widespread distribution. Presentations at medical conferences attended doctors and hospital administrators may be part of these programs. Special inserts in health magazines and medical journals could be another educational tool for a medical equipment manufacturer. Large-scale advertising on television and radio is another way to educate the public about medical equipment.
Institutional sales are usually a major source of revenue for a medical equipment manufacturer. A medical equipment manufacturer may sell electrocardiogram machines, wheel chairs, and respirators to a regional hospital. Nursing homes, health clinics, and doctor’s offices are all potential customers for a manufacturer’s equipment. Installation and repair services are frequently requested institutional customers of medical equipment suppliers. Maintenance crews are typically dispatched on a regular route the manufacturer to handle equipment maintenance and repairs for their clients.
Individual consumers can buy certain products from certified retailers. The manufacturer typically provides these retailers with the sales and maintenance training they need to serve their customers. A person in need of a heart monitor or a blood pressure meter, for example, may be able to purchase these items as well as service plans from a certified retailer in their area. Many medical device companies have cut costs selling certain products directly to customers through online stores.