Urgent Care: Selecting the Best Fit X-Ray System

Feb 9, 2021

Fuji FDR Clinica
X-Ray is one of the largest capital expenditures made by an urgent care office. The equipment selection process does not have to be complicated or stressful; however, it should be mindful. Below is a list of questions that should certainly be reviewed prior to deciding on a specific type of equipment.
How many square feet am I willing to dedicate to the x-ray suite?
A typical x-ray room can range from 10’x12’ to 13’x15’.
Could I double utilize my x-ray suite with something else such as a procedure room?
This could help conserve underutilized space and increase ROI per square foot.
Will I hire a registered technologist to perform x-rays?
Some states are non-licensure, possibly increasing the importance of a system with advanced automation and extensive positioning guides to help limit critical mistakes.
What is my patient demographic landscape?
Equipment types can vary depending on clinical needs around adolescents, seniors, or sports/orthopedic specific.
What is my initial budget?
Depending on specifics, equipment can range from $50,000-$90,000.
What length of warranty am I comfortable with?
Industry standard is 1 year; however, some can extend up to 5 years.
What is my annual service contract budget after the initial warranty period?
A service contract can act as an insurance policy on your equipment, there are a variety of levels you can choose from, all with different price points.
Where do I want to store patient images and how do I want to access them?
There are options to store, view, and back up images locally, in the cloud, or both.

Regardless of the phase that your urgent care is in (start-up, existing office that needs an upgrade, or multiple site operator), evaluating the answers to these questions will help narrow the focus towards a very specific type of equipment configuration. Each configuration will have a few hardware and software options to select from to finalize the process. Once an equipment type has been selected there will be site specific details to nail down around incoming power to the building, lighting preferences for the x-ray suite, and finishes for the operator control area. Once the equipment selection is final, the next step in the process will be working with your Imperial expert to make sure that government compliance is understood and met. In conjunction, we will work with any architects and contractors (if applicable) to ensure a smooth transition from build-out to installation and turnover. Our experts at Imperial Imaging are available to help walk you through these steps and questions along with any others to make sure you have selected the best-fit equipment for your urgent care, meeting compliance every step of the way.