Are you running a healthcare organization? Are you planning to order medical equipment for your organization? Are you aware that ordering medical equipment is not something like buying groceries from a local convenience store? It is a far more painstaking process that requires one to put in more effort and research to find the best reliable and effective equipment. Here are some useful tips that you can bear in mind while ordering medical equipment.

1. Research on the suppliers: The quality of your products depend largely on the quality of supplier you choose. Ensure you engage only reputed and trusted suppliers who supply high quality products like CPAP, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, etc. They should be well known in the industry for their high quality of products.

2. Zero in on reliable suppliers: It is quite obvious that you will end up with a long list of suppliers when you begin your search process. Prepare a set of benchmarks that will help you zero in on the right kind of suppliers for CPAP and other equipment with whom you would want to engage on a long-term basis.

3. Estimate shipping costs: Unlike other items, medical equipment shipping costs are higher. They are sensitive items which have to be transported in specific containers and storage conditions to avoid damage during transit. If possible, put in writing in your purchase order the delivery terms and storage conditions to be followed by the supplier.

4. Evaluate delivery terms: The delivery period should not be too long to affect your product cycle. Ensure that the supplier is willing to supply goods in short intervals. They should also be prepared to meet your adhoc requirements without any shortcomings. 

5. Order in bulk quantities: Almost every manufacturing or service organization engaged in regular purchase of products opts for bulk quantity purchase. Bulk quantities provide you a favorable position to negotiate for quantity discounts. Further, it also brings down the shipping costs considerably.

6. Customer service: A reliable supplier should be capable of providing efficient customer service at all times. They must be capable of listening to your woes as a customer and provide remedies that will not disrupt your operational flow. Being medical in nature, customer service should be considered a must have trait for your chosen vendor.

7. Replacement policy: In case of returns of respiratory equipment, ensure that there are precautionary tests to ensure their quality and standard. It may happen that in the due course of time, certain batches of products supplied may not match the desired quality standards. In such situations it is necessary that there is a solid replacement policy specified in the agreement that will ease the return and replacement of fresh supplies.