End of Life Medical Imaging Equipment... What Does It Really Mean?

“End of Life.” Sounds morbid, doesn’t it? But before you flood your mind with images of long black cars and gothic letters chiseled in granite, let me reassure you that we’ll only be discussing the phrase as it pertains to your medical imaging equipment.

 

What does "End of Life" mean?

According to the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF), which is supported by the FDA, “End of Life” (EOL) indicates the life cycle stage of a product starting when the manufacturer no longer sells the product.

 

WHEN “END OF LIFE” IS REALLY “DEAD”

While you can add years to your medical imaging equipment via third-party parts & service providers after the OEM deems it EOL; not every problem can be cured.

Some equipment is so old that used parts vendors have abandoned the last few bits and pieces based on space constraints. Equipment made by smaller OEMs can pose a problem as well. Frequently these companies are bought out by the GE and Siemens of the world, and their product lines are EOL-ed before more than a few hundred can be made.

The same is true relative to engineering. The independent FSE might not make service calls anymore, and training provided to new engineers will cease, as their training will dedicate its time to learning the latest and greatest systems.

However, with the help of the used medical imaging industry, it’s safe to say that a piece of equipment outlast its OEM-designated end-of-life by several years.

 

HOW BLOCK IMAGING CAN HELP

Block Imaging is equipped to help with your equipment, parts, and service needs! You can enjoy 24/7 technical support, 35,000+ parts in stock, and seasoned field service engineers to keep your system up and running

Technical Support: In the event of an OEM phase-out, users can turn to Block Imaging for service support. Our team offers a variety of options to best serve your needs! From full service, to preventative maintenance, there's an option for everyone.

Parts Support: The used parts market is a great place to find reconditioned and tested parts from older equipment. Block Imaging has over 35,000 parts in stock AND offers same day shipping until 7:30PM EST MON-FRI.

Field Service Support: Our field service engineers are located around the United States and come equipped with knowledge across all modalities and manufacturers. 

Contact us today to explore your service options!

Picture of Chris Kinnas

Chris Kinnas

Chris Kinnas is a National Service Solutions Manager at Block Imaging. His goal is to see imaging facilities covered by the very best service for maximum equipment uptime. Outside of the office, he is a husband, a father of 4, and an avid Chicago sports fan.