Private and concierge practices around Preston Hollow often buy pre-owned equipment for good reasons: a lower price for proven models, quick availability, and room in the budget for the patient experience. What separates a good pre-owned purchase from a risky one is rarely the device itself. It is the paperwork that comes with it. A well-documented refurbished unit can go straight into service and stand up in a survey; an undocumented one leaves you guessing.
This page lists the documents to ask for with any pre-owned device, including the ones we provide with our refurbished medical equipment for sale from our Garland headquarters, and what to look for in each.
The documents, one by one
1. Bill of sale with the serial number
The invoice should name the manufacturer, model and serial number of the exact unit, plus each major accessory. Without a serial number on paper, you cannot prove which device you bought, track a recall or claim a warranty.
2. Inspection and test report
This is the most important document. It should list the tests performed, the results, the date and the name of the engineer who did them. "Passed" with no detail is not enough. For a patient monitor, for example, you should see results for each parameter; for a power table, every motion and the emergency stop.
3. Electrical safety test results
Any device that plugs in and touches a patient should have protective earth and leakage current measurements recorded, with the safety analyzer used. These results become the baseline for every later safety test.
4. Calibration of the test equipment
A test result is only as good as the analyzer or simulator that produced it. Ask for the calibration date of the test equipment used. A reputable seller can produce it.
5. Service and repair history
Ask what was repaired or replaced during refurbishment: batteries, cables, upholstery, printer parts, pumps or sensors. Knowing that a battery was replaced last month saves you from replacing it again.
6. Software version and enabled options
For software-driven devices such as monitors, EKGs, ultrasound and imaging systems, the software version and licensed options should be written down. Options determine what the device can do, and the version tells you whether updates or patches are still available.
7. Accessory list
A complete list of what ships with the device (probes, cables, chargers, carts, mounts) prevents disputes later and helps your staff spot a missing item on delivery day.
8. Operator documentation
Staff need the operator's manual or quick reference guide for the exact model. These are usually available from the manufacturer's website; the seller should tell you which version applies.
9. Warranty terms in writing
The warranty should state its length, what it covers and how to make a claim. Ours is 90 days on reconditioned and pre-owned equipment. Be wary of warranties described only verbally.
10. Records for the device you are replacing
If the new unit replaces an old one, keep a record of what happened to the old device. Our medical equipment disposition service provides documentation for resale or recycling.
Why the paperwork matters later
Surveyors and inspectors look at equipment records, not equipment brochures. Facilities that participate in Medicare follow the maintenance expectations described in CMS survey letter S&C 14-07, which centers on keeping an inventory and following documented maintenance schedules. A refurbished device that arrives with a complete test report fits straight into that system. Our medical equipment survey checklist shows what else inspectors usually ask to see.
When a document is missing
A missing document is not always a reason to walk away, but it should change the price or the plan. If there is no test report, ask the seller to test the device before delivery or have an independent engineer do it, and treat the device as untested until then. If the service history is missing, budget for replacing the wear parts that usually fail first, such as batteries, cables and upholstery. If the warranty is verbal only, ask for it in writing before you pay. And if the serial number on the device does not match the invoice, stop until it does.
How to store it
Keep one file per device, paper or digital, with the documents above and every later maintenance report. Label it with the serial number and the room the device is in. When it is time for the next preventive maintenance visit or an inspection, everything is in one place.
Seeing the equipment before you buy
Preston Hollow practices can see refurbished units at our Garland headquarters by appointment and review the test report alongside the device. If you are buying used equipment elsewhere, our hands-on inspection checklist covers what to test at the machine. Our medical equipment inspection service can also produce a full test report for a device that came without one. Service requests receive a response in under 8 business hours, Monday through Friday, with same-day on-site support across Dallas–Fort Worth.
To ask about pre-owned equipment and its documentation, call (469) 767-8853 or send us a request.
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