The Wall of Shame

Dedicated to vendors who gouge on parts?

You be the JUDGE!

 

 

If you are the vendor of this part and I have stated some component pricing

 inaccurately, please email me and I’ll correct it!

 

Send me your candidates for the “Wall”

 

Email to Wallofshame@att.net 

 

 

Please continue sending me your candidates.

 

Well, I’m going to start nagging more this year about posts here.

I get submissions so seldom; it’s difficult for me to remember the process to update the website.

Are you feeling my pain?

 

All kidding aside, I’ll try and do better!

 

 

 

 

The “GOUGE” of the Month

January 2008

 

No pictures but……………….

GE/OEC 9800 C-arm

Iris collimator blade drive motor

From GE/OEC = $6100.50

Same OEM motor (Portsescap Inc.) via Avnet Electronics = $164.90

 

A number of contributors ask to post anonymously, and I certainly understand that,

It’s another symptom of the relationship between vendors and their customers.

 

Mr S., thanks for the contribution!

 

And another low blow from a vendor;

Normal markup indeed!

 

Sir:

   I have been reading your website for a while, but have been very

hesitant to bring items to you.    Recently I have had a few 9 watt compact fluorescent screw-in lamps

(Philips SLS9W) go out on Drager Babytherm 8010  Radiant infant Warmers.

These are energy efficient  replacements for standard filament light bulbs

that you can buy in most any store now.  I looked up the Drager part #

2M30601 in my manual. When I went to order them from Drager, I was quoted a

price of $95 each. I had them double check the price, and then had an

internal investigation done on the price. When I was contacted again, I was

told that this was the correct price and a normal mark-up.

   Here is a link to a lamp dealer selling the exact same Philips lamp for

$16.99:

 

http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/nw012104/PHILIPS22017-7SLS9LAMP.htm

 

   But better yet, here is a link to a supplier of 9W compact fluorescent

lamps at 4 for $11.99:

https://www.chooserenewables.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16151&cat=3&page=1

 

Thanks to Mr. W.K

 

 

The “GOUGE” of the Month

February 2007

 

Here’s a 3M M170 touch display, complete for $675

 

3M MicroTouch M170 Black 17" Touch Monitor

Part #: 41-91375-225

http://www.superwarehouse.com/images/products/3Mm170black.jpg

 

 

Is there anyone that could help me second source the touch screen for the Servo i ventilator?  I was given a factory part number of: 6670645 with a price of $5,754.00. 

 

This was a Maquet part number and the Maquet price.  So the wall of shame should

acknowledge Maquet for it's outstanding ability to overcharge on their parts.

Thanks for keeping me anonymous!

 

Here’s the phenomenally overpriced touch panel from Maquet

Ringing in at $5,754.00

 

I’d think twice about any Servo I purchases!!!

 

 

 

And Another Gouge

 

How much should a service manual cost?

 

I had called Tech Support to get help on the specs for a surgical light. It's a Steris Polaris (Centra 360).

I asked the tech what can be done to increase the brightness of the unit since it seemed kind of dim to me.

(Maybe the dimmest thing here is the Steris appreciation of their customers)

 

He suggested I replace the Bulbs, which I had, check to make sure they

were the correct voltage & amps, I did. check the voltage to the bulbs, ,it was correct.

 

He said that there was a calibration procedure, then I asked if he could fax it to me, he said it wasn't possible, I asked if he could email it he said he couldn't do that either. Then I asked what the lumenance should be; so that I could measure the output.

 

He said all that was in the service manual and that he couldn't tell me, but that if I wanted to purchase the manual he would give me the p/n. I asked for the p/n and price. I threw the information away no way was I going to pay for a $900.00 for a surgical light service manual.

 

Victor Mendoza [mailto:victorcalifbmed@hotmail.com]

 

 

 

 

 

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

From our Service Partners at;

Philips Medical Systems

PMS

 

 

 

The Stanley Powerlock tape measure shown in the photo is from a Philips EZ Diagnost R&F room. Part # 452216313672. Price $423.89. However, that the part is no longer available. So I must purchase an upgrade kit. Price about $950.00. Ouch!

J. Walsh
Somerset Medical Center

 

Thanks John, for yet another CLASSIC example…

 

We’ve all heard it too many times, “We really want partner with you”.

Well, in some states their idea of a partnership is only legal if you’re married!!!

 

 

 

 

The “GOUGE” of the Month

 

Attached are pics of a TSO panel that required replacement on our Philips MD3. This device is nothing more than a collection of switches that control table and c-arm movement. It could not possibly cost Philips more than $500 to manufacture. The price from Philips for this part: $21K. There should be a law..!

J. Walsh
Somerset Medical
Center

 

I’m sure there was some circumstance that made it necessary for Philips to teach you a lesson on this

particular failure, like they needed to meet their financial targets late in the quarter!

Curt

 

 

 

The “GOUGE” of the Month

  

Our Renal Services department runs 24 stations of Fresenius 2008H machines. These 24 machines account for about 35% of our total parts budget. ($40k per year)

 

The keyboard pictured helps illustrate the problem!

 

freskb

 

This keyboard for the FDS08 cost an unbelievable $764.35.

 

Here are some other phenomenally overpriced parts;

 

DC motor and gearbox =$367.98

Acid pump = $364.00

Gear head = $322.40

BP motor and gearbox = $367.98

Hydroblock body = $568.56

 

 

 

Curt Doles

Director, Medical Engineering

Summa Health System

Akron, Ohio

dolesc@summa-health.org

 

 

 

The “GOUGE” of the Month  

 

We have a few of the older HP Central stations (D4367N) at our facility. In
> the last year we have had two of the hard drives crash beyond repair.
> Replacement for the SCSI 4.5 Gb drives is about $800 each from Philips.
> With a minimum of searching I found a 36.7 Gb SCSI hard drive for $150 and
> an adapter (Ultrawide68-pin to 50-pin) for $27 from CDW. After formatting
> and reinstalling the OS and current revision of software (C.0), the
> computers are running perfectly and with no complaints from staff. Except
> for an 'atta-boy' from my boss, the hospital has not acknowledged the $600
> savings each time. Oh well, another day of saving the world in Biomedical
> World.
>
>
> Michael W Mitchell
””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

 

Thanks Michael!

We’ve seen a number of those gouges also, with just about every vendor that

utilizes hard drive technology. Sometimes it’s a thankless job!

We document every occurrence like that in a spreadsheet we call the “Savings Log”.

Every now and then I discuss it with my boss, he’s a very appreciative guy.

Curt

 

 

 

 

 

The “GOUGES” of the Month  

 

GE and partnership, an oxymoron?

$1200 for four fuses!

Unbelieveable

 

I figured you could add this one to the list. We called in GE to work on an Advantx R/F Room and had to replace a $3,400 board. But the Tech also found that a 5 Amp, 700 Volt Fuse was also blown, and we said to go ahead and replace it so we could get the room back up and running. The Tech had blown the spare fuse that we had while troubleshooting and we didn't have the time to locate the spare fuse ourselves locally, because the staff was needing the room very quickly. The GE Rep came back later and said GE does not sell that fuse individually, you have to buy a "Fuse Kit". The kit contains 8-9 fuses that rarely blow, except for the one we had to replace. Cost on the kit was $1,100. We did cross reference the fuse we needed and found it for $17.97. You do the math on that one.

 

We thought that there were 8-9 fuses, but there were actually only 4 fuses in the "kit". Two- 25 Amp and two- 5 Amp fuses.

 

Warren S. Garmon
Director of Technical Operations
Bio-Medical Services, Inc.
warrengarmon@biomedicalservices.org
(770)945-3117

 

 

 

Service Record

http://egems.gehealthcare.com/femc/GEHealthCareLogo.jpg

 

Room Number

 

Dispatch Number

 

Customer

 

System ID #

 

 

TRIP LOG

Covered Hours

STD Billed

Labor

Travel

1.5

1.0

Non Covered Hours

O. T. Billed

O.T. Labor

O.T. Travel

2.0

1.0

Date

Start Time

End Time

System Status

Travel Time

T&L Expense

20050520 

12:00 

13:30 

91 

1.0 

$0.00 

20050521 

09:30 

11:30 

90 

1.0 

$0.00