Talking CHG-MERIDIAN and making healthcare equipment more affordable and accessible

A. Since joining the CHG-MERIDIAN team in 2014, I have held a variety of different roles supporting our customers (both public and private) throughout the equipment lifecycle. After joining the Healthcare team some 7 or so years ago, I have been lucky enough to engage with some inspirational people working at all levels within the healthcare sector, from end-users and clinicians, to procurement/finance teams and at the executive board level. This has given me a unique insight into the industry and allowed me to continue building a great understanding of clinical and operational needs during the equipment procurement process.

A. Personally, what I find to be one of the most unique attributes of CHG-MERIDIAN are its people – we form a great international network of like-minded individuals who are all committed to providing the best service possible for our customers, currently across 28 countries worldwide. Likewise, what I really consider to differentiate CHG-MERIDIAN within the medical equipment finance market is our determination to put our customers at the heart of every solution – utilising our expert knowledge of the healthcare sector, we work hard to tailor and refine the right finance package to suit every project requirement.

A. Great question! I’m pleased to say there are no restrictions when it comes to the type or manufacturer of medical assets that can be financed with us. To give you a few examples, projects that I have recently been involved with include everything from Imaging and Infusion, to Radiology and Surgical Robotics equipment!

There are many types of equipment which CHG-MERIDIAN can help our customers gain access to, some of which are summarised below:

A. The COVID pandemic has produced several challenges for our healthcare system here in the UK – one we are acutely aware of, however, remains to be the issues of surging capacity and increased elective waiting lists. This is a matter I am particularly interested in and is one that has a knock-on effect in several other areas, such as the diagnosis and treatment of various cancers throughout the UK population. I took the time recently to review a study that uncovered an unsettling statistic - delayed diagnosis as a direct result of the pandemic will result in over 3,500 avoidable deaths, covering four of the most common forms of cancer (including breast, bowel, oesophageal and lung cancers).

One of the most influential factors vital to pandemic recovery remains to be access to the right technology – a matter in which many hospitals and clinics simply do not have the budget to replace their ageing (and often exhausted) equipment fleet. Thinking back to CHG-MERIDIAN’s Robotics article published in the National Health Executive late last year, I recall it rather vividly discussed the importance of technological advances in Surgical Robotics; it raised the point that whilst this type of equipment often comes with fairly substantial upfront costs, many of our customers have gained access to upgraded surgical theatres by taking advantage of a structured finance package provided by CHG-MERIDIAN.

Ultimately, I am passionate about working with the network of private hospitals and NHS Trusts throughout the UK to increase their investment in radiology and oncology equipment, which is seen as a vital step in helping to detect disease and treat patients more efficiently; many of whom have seen increased screening and treatment delays as a result of the pandemic.

A. We are passionate about helping our customers access the latest technology and are always looking at innovative ways to create a bespoke solution to meet various project requirements. I’ve worked with many NHS Trusts and private healthcare providers alike to create a package that not only strengthens their business case and aligns as closely as possible with their existing budgets, but also ensures for fixed, known costs for the duration of the contract period.

A common solution that is often utilised in this situation is a Managed Equipment Service (MES), which can combine all the necessary capital, service, and consumable elements required to set up a new robotics or radiology service, resulting in a fixed unitary charge to the customer.

We can also take into account existing equipment inventory and design a solution with the future in mind. This can include buying existing customer-owned equipment for inclusion within the contract; or simply building in equipment replacements at specified points during the contract period, which can be modelled on a straight-lined or stepped payment basis to suit a particular budget.

Often things like project costs can be overlooked when preparing for a large-scale procurement plan. Having the ability to include implementation or training costs and ongoing maintenance, together with our asset and contract management system TESMA®, allows our customers to take advantage of a bespoke solution which will not only generate significant cost savings, but one that is flexible enough to meet their demands and capacity needs well into the future.

To find out more about the types of solutions available (including a CHG-MERIDIAN MES and our TESMA® service), please visit our designated Healthcare page here, or – to discuss individual project requirements today – please feel free to reach out using the details below: