Starting a new health practice is an exciting prospect, especially if you want to serve your community directly. There are several steps that you will need to complete before you can start serving your clients and patients, including registering the business and practice, finding the best location, creating a business plan, staffing and a lot more. Purchasing the equipment that you will need is perhaps the most important step because you cannot serve your clients and patients without it. Below, we will look at the essential equipment you will need when starting out.
Ultrasound Equipment
Ultrasound equipment is used to check the internal organs in patients’ bodies. It can be used to diagnose issues such as swelling, infection, damaged organs or pain where the cause is not immediately obvious. Portable ultrasound machines can also be used to diagnose cardiovascular and liver conditions. Ultrasound equipment uses sound waves and no ionising radiation, making it safer than x-rays.
Portable X-rays
X-ray equipment is quite expensive and will require that you make several changes to your clinic’s structure to accommodate such a machine. A solution many smaller health practices use is a portable x-ray machine. These machines are meant for bedside examinations, but they also find a lot of use in smaller health practices.
Hospital Screens
Privacy matters to everyone and patients are no different. Hospital screens create a division in the room that allows the doctor to examine the patient properly and without any hesitation. They are easy to carry around, retractable and available in different sizes and colors. As you are starting new health practice, something as basic as a patient privacy screen should never be forgotten. It will help you win the confidence of the patients.
Decontamination System
Decontamination is very important because, if not done regularly, your health practice might become a haven for bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Although conventional cleaning methods such as using chlorine and other disinfectants work well, they often miss illness-causing germs, especially airborne pathogens. This is why a lot of healthcare facilities are switching to UV light cleaning and disinfecting systems.
These systems use high-energy UVC light to kill pathogens on both surfaces and in the air. They are designed to offer 360-degree coverage and can disinfect areas that manual cleaning often misses. The mobile UVC Light cleaning solution from companies like VIOA Limited are meant to be as effective as other UVC systems without the hefty price tag. These units are easy to use and VIOA also offers financing options for their UVC systems for both commercial and healthcare applications.
EKG/ECG Machines
Electrocardiogram (EKG) machines help healthcare providers monitor a patient’s heart, thereby helping in the diagnosis of different health conditions. EKG machines are essential diagnostic tools and all staff who handle them should be trained on how to interpret their tracings.
Surgical Light Units
Even where you do not plan on doing minor or major surgery at your new practice, you still need surgical light for adequate illumination during patient examinations.
Sterilisers
In addition to the decontamination systems noted above, health practices also need sterilisers for surgical tools and other items. Autoclave sterilisers are the most common types of sterilisers used in health practices. There are numerous autoclave steriliser types that come in various sizes depending on your needs and budget.
The equipment discussed above is the bare minimum you need to get started. You can always add other equipment which will also help you offer additional services and levels of care to your clients and patients.