High-resolution imaging systems including CT scanners, MRI, X-ray, and ultrasound technology for accurate clinical diagnosis.
Scope, project management & OEM documentation
Biomedical & IT teams deployed nationwide
Dedicated service desk for Nigerian facilities
Diagnostic Imaging Service in Nigeria is the technical support, maintenance, calibration, and repair of medical imaging equipment like MRI, CT, X-ray, Mammography, and Ultrasound systems. Your hospital, diagnostic centre, or specialist clinic needs this service to prevent catastrophic equipment failure, ensure patient and staff safety, maintain high-quality clinical images, and control operational costs. It solves the critical business problems of unpredictable downtime that halts revenue generation, poor image quality that leads to misdiagnosis, non-compliance with regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), and the spiralling costs of emergency repairs and parts importation. This service is essential for tertiary teaching hospitals managing a large fleet of complex machines, private diagnostic chains where uptime is directly tied to profit, and NGO-supported health facilities that must provide reliable services and meet strict donor reporting standards on asset management.
Ad-hoc, per-call diagnostic imaging service costs between NGN 150,000 - NGN 500,000 per visit, excluding parts and travel for complex modalities like CT or MRI. Bundled Preventive Maintenance (PM) contracts range from NGN 800,000 - NGN 5,000,000 annually per system, while turnkey Comprehensive Maintenance Contracts (CMC) that include parts can be 5-12% of the equipment's original purchase value per year. The primary cost drivers are the type and complexity of the equipment (an MRI is far more expensive to maintain than a basic ultrasound), the age of the system, your facility's location which impacts travel logistics, the urgency defined in the SLA, and whether spare parts are included. Regulatory documentation, such as NNRA physicist surveys, adds to the overall cost.
Franance can model these options to find the most cost-effective and sustainable service plan for your budget.
The cheapest diagnostic imaging service in Nigeria is typically an ad-hoc, 'call-when-it-breaks' arrangement costing NGN 100,000 - NGN 250,000 per visit for basic systems like a standard X-ray or ultrasound. This price almost always excludes the cost of travel, any required spare parts, follow-up visits if the initial fix fails, and formal documentation like a service report or calibration certificate. The focus is solely on a single, immediate problem with no guarantee on the work performed.
This approach carries significant hidden costs and risks. You may get an unqualified technician who causes more damage, leading to much costlier future repairs. The extended downtime while you search for a technician and then wait for them to source parts can cost your facility millions in lost revenue. For example, a non-functional CT scanner can represent a loss of over NGN 500,000 per day.
Consider a structured service plan to avoid the high price of cheap, unreliable service.
Affordable diagnostic imaging service is achieved through bundled Preventive Maintenance (PM) contracts, typically costing NGN 60,000 - NGN 300,000 per system per month. This model provides value by moving from reactive, expensive emergency repairs to proactive, scheduled maintenance that prevents failures. The bundle combines planned maintenance visits with other services to create a predictable, manageable operational expense.
These bundles are designed to reduce your total cost of ownership. By having engineers visit on a scheduled route, travel costs are shared and reduced. Remote triage via phone or video call can resolve up to 30% of issues without a site visit, saving you time and money. The data gathered during PMs helps predict failures, allowing for planned parts replacement at a lower cost than an emergency order.
Explore Franance's bundled PM plans to make your maintenance budget predictable and affordable.
An Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC), covering only labour for preventive and corrective maintenance, costs 3-6% of the equipment's value annually. A Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC), which covers labour, all spare parts, and typically includes an uptime guarantee, costs 7-12% of the equipment's value annually. For a NGN 200 million CT scanner, an AMC might cost NGN 6-12 million, while a CMC could be NGN 14-24 million per year.
The choice depends on your appetite for risk. An AMC offers a lower, predictable cost for labour but leaves you exposed to potentially massive, unbudgeted expenses for major parts. A single X-ray tube replacement for a CT scanner can cost over NGN 25 million. A CMC transfers this financial risk to the service provider. It provides complete budget predictability and aligns the provider's goals with yours—they are incentivized to keep the machine running to avoid expensive repairs, which is exactly what you want.
| Feature | Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) | Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Coverage | Included for PM & repairs | Included for PM & repairs |
| Spare Parts Coverage | Excluded. Billed as required. | Included (often with some exclusions like glassware). |
| Budget Predictability | Partial. Labour is fixed, parts are variable. | High. A single annual fee covers almost everything. |
| Financial Risk | You bear the full cost of parts failure. | The service provider bears the risk of parts failure. |
| Uptime Guarantee | Not typically included. | Often included (e.g., 95% uptime). |
| Best For | Facilities with strong in-house teams and a budget for risk. | Facilities demanding maximum uptime and budget certainty. |
Franance can help you perform a risk analysis to determine whether an AMC or CMC is the right financial instrument for your facility.
Request a detailed, no-obligation quote from Franance to see how our tailored service contracts can optimize your diagnostic imaging uptime and budget.
You can get diagnostic imaging service from OEM representatives (like GE or Siemens directly), multi-vendor service organizations, and independent engineers, who are primarily located in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, with varying capabilities to serve other regions. The selection process requires rigorous due diligence beyond just comparing prices. You must verify the provider's corporate legitimacy and technical competence to avoid entrusting a multi-million Naira asset to an unqualified entity.
Start by demanding proof of their CAC registration (RC number) and physical office address. For technical validation, ask for OEM training certificates for the specific models in your hospital, such as a Siemens Artis Q ceiling-mounted Cath Lab or a Philips Ingenia 1.5T MRI. Request proof of professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Most importantly, ask for at least two references from hospitals similar to yours and actually call them to discuss their experience. Franance simplifies this by pre-vetting all our engineers, verifying their certifications, tooling, and track record before they are ever assigned to your facility.
Let Franance connect you with our network of pre-vetted, qualified engineers across Nigeria.
Franance is a verified nationwide diagnostic imaging service provider with OEM-certified engineers for GE, Siemens, Philips, and Canon/Toshiba systems, covering all 36 states from our hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. We integrate technology and rigorous vetting to deliver a reliable, transparent, and accountable service that meets international standards while navigating Nigerian operational realities. Our service stack is designed to be your complete asset management partner.
The best diagnostic imaging service provider is one that demonstrates a strong portfolio of successfully managed high-modality systems (MRI, CT, Cath Lab), maintains a high engineer-to-contracted-site ratio to ensure availability, and provides transparent, data-driven reporting through a CMMS. They act as a partner focused on your clinical uptime, not just a vendor who fixes things when they break.
Evaluate providers on their experience with your specific models, like a GE Healthcare Optima CT680 or a Siemens Magnetom Aera 1.5T MRI. Ask for their first-time-fix rate; a high rate (>85%) indicates strong diagnostic skills and good parts availability. The best providers invest heavily in their engineers' continuous training and their own inventory of calibrated test instruments. They don't just solve problems; they provide data that helps you make better long-term decisions about your equipment.
Franance provides full transparency into our operations, from engineer certifications to real-time SLA dashboards.
A standard Scope of Work (SOW) for diagnostic imaging service includes a detailed list of all covered assets with serial numbers, the specific maintenance tasks to be performed (e.g., gantry checks, detector calibration), a list of deliverables, and a clear schedule. A properly documented SOW is a legally binding document that protects both you and the provider by eliminating ambiguity. It typically covers an initial assessment phase, followed by scheduled PMs and on-call repairs over a 12-month period.
The SOW should be broken down into clear phases: 1) Assessment: An initial audit to document the condition of all equipment. 2) Execution: The performance of scheduled Preventive Maintenance and on-demand corrective repairs. 3) Calibration & Testing: Performance verification and electrical safety tests. 4) Documentation: The delivery of service reports for every action. 5) Handover: A review session with your team after major work. 6) Follow-up: Quarterly business reviews to discuss performance against KPIs.
The process begins with a service request logged via phone, email, or a dedicated web portal, which generates a unique ticket number. This is followed by remote triage by a qualified engineer who will attempt to resolve the issue with your on-site staff. If unresolved, an engineer is dispatched with a job card detailing the fault. On-site, the engineer performs diagnostics using manufacturer-specified tools and protocols (e.g., IEC 60601-1 for electrical safety), executes the repair or PM, and captures all data, photos, and signatures in a digital service report on a mobile device before closing the ticket.
The methodology must be standards-based. This means adhering to NNRA guidelines for radiation safety during service on X-ray or CT systems, and following ISO 13485 quality management principles for service delivery. Pass/fail thresholds for all tests must be based on OEM specifications. This structured approach ensures consistent, high-quality, and auditable service delivery every time.
Standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) tiers offer response times of 4-8 hours for critical issues on revenue-generating systems like MRI or CT, 24 hours for urgent issues on general X-rays or ultrasounds, and 48-72 hours for routine PM scheduling. The "response time" is defined as the time from when you log the call to when a qualified engineer arrives on-site. This is different from "resolution time," which is the total time taken to fix the problem.
A robust SLA, especially for Comprehensive Maintenance Contracts, will include an uptime guarantee (e.g., 95% or 98% availability during clinical hours) and penalty clauses (e.g., service credits for the following month) if the provider fails to meet these targets. The SLA should also clearly define the hours of coverage (e.g., 8am-5pm on weekdays vs. 24/7) and the escalation path if you are not satisfied with the initial response.
Franance provides a transparent, live SLA dashboard where you can track every service request, monitor response times in real-time, and verify our commitment to your facility's uptime.
Upon service completion, you must receive a detailed digital service report outlining the problem found, the work done, the time spent, and any parts used, signed by both the engineer and your representative. For specific tasks, you will also receive certificates, such as a Performance Verification Certificate after a PM or a Calibration Certificate for specific measurement functions. For donor-funded projects, reports must be formatted to meet specific Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) requirements, often including photos and asset tags.
These documents are not just paperwork; they are your legal and operational record. They are essential for accreditation, for tracking the total cost of ownership of an asset, and for holding your service provider accountable. A complete and well-organized service history is also critical for accurately valuing the equipment for insurance or resale purposes.
To be compliant, your diagnostic imaging service must adhere to Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) regulations for any equipment that produces ionizing radiation (X-ray, CT, Mammography, Cath Lab). This includes ensuring your service provider holds a valid license from the NNRA to perform service. Any imported spare parts must be compliant with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) requirements, which may involve SONCAP certification. While NAFDAC regulates the initial importation and registration of the medical device itself, ongoing service compliance is primarily under the NNRA and SON. All technical procedures should follow international standards like IEC 60601-1 for electrical safety.
Navigating these regulatory touchpoints is critical. Your facility must have its own license to operate the equipment, and the service company needs its own license to service it. The process involves submissions, inspections, and annual renewals. Failure to comply can lead to sealing of the department, fines, and legal liability.
A preventive maintenance (PM) schedule for diagnostic imaging equipment is typically performed semi-annually or annually, involving a 50-100 point checklist covering mechanical inspection, electrical safety tests, image quality phantom tests, and software diagnostics. A PM on a CT scanner can take a full day, while a PM on an ultrasound may take 2-3 hours. The process should be scheduled in advance to minimize disruption to your clinical services.
Modern service providers use digital checklists on tablets or smartphones. This ensures every step is completed, allows for the capture of photos and measurements directly into the report, and provides you with an instant, legible digital report upon completion. This digital log is a powerful tool for tracking the health of your equipment over time.
The emergency repair process starts with an immediate call to the service desk for remote triage, aiming for a 30-minute phone-fix or remote login attempt. This initial step can often resolve user-related errors or software glitches without needing a site visit. If unsuccessful, an engineer is dispatched to arrive on-site within the contractually agreed SLA window (e.g., 4-8 hours for Lagos/Abuja), equipped with common spare parts and specialized tools to maximize the chance of a first-visit-fix.
A well-defined workflow is critical. The remote diagnosis helps the engineer determine the likely faulty part so they can bring it from their local stock. For complex issues, there should be a clear escalation path to a more senior engineer or directly to the OEM's technical support. Throughout the process, you should receive regular updates on the status of the repair and the expected time to resolution.
Availability of common spare parts like power supplies, circuit boards, and detectors is critical, with lead times of 24-48 hours from a provider's local stock in Lagos or Abuja. Major, high-value components like X-ray tubes, MRI coils, or CT detectors are often sourced internationally, with realistic lead times of 7-21 days due to shipping and Nigerian customs clearance processes. Be wary of any provider promising international parts in 3 days.
A good provider will have a strategic stocking policy based on failure rate data for your equipment model. They will also have a dedicated and experienced logistics team to handle the complex process of Form M, PAAR, and customs clearance to minimize delays. Always insist on OEM or OEM-equivalent parts that come with a warranty. Using cheap, unauthorized parts can void your equipment's warranty and compromise safety.
Service handover includes applications training for clinical staff (radiographers, sonographers) on proper equipment use and basic troubleshooting, and technical training for your in-house biomedical staff on first-look checks and preventive measures. A typical session lasts 2-4 hours and should be conducted after a new installation, a major repair, or as an annual refresher.
Training must be role-based. Radiographers need to know how to optimize image quality and resolve common software errors. Your biomedical team needs to know how to perform basic safety checks, clean filters, and identify issues that require escalation to the service provider. This training empowers your team, reduces nuisance service calls, and improves equipment care.
A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) provides a digital inventory of all your imaging assets, tracking their unique ID, location, service history, maintenance schedule, and total cost of ownership. As a client, you should have access to this information via a secure, web-based dashboard. This moves you away from scattered paper files to a centralized, data-driven asset management platform.
Each of your assets is tagged with a unique ID. Every service request, PM, and repair is logged against this asset in the CMMS. This data is then used to generate reports and dashboards showing critical KPIs like equipment uptime, Mean Time To Repair (MTTR), and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). This is invaluable for budget planning, replacement decisions, and for providing evidence of proper maintenance to regulatory bodies or donor agencies.
A power audit for diagnostic imaging involves using a power quality analyzer connected to the equipment's main supply for 24-72 hours. This device records critical data on voltage sags and swells, frequency deviation, harmonics, and other disturbances common with Nigeria's unstable power grid. The resulting report provides concrete evidence of your power quality and recommends the correct kVA rating and type of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and stabilizer needed for your specific equipment, such as a 150kVA UPS for a 1.5T MRI or a 100kVA stabilizer for a 64-slice CT scanner.
Over 50% of diagnostic imaging equipment failures in Nigeria are directly or indirectly caused by poor power quality. A power audit is the most critical first step before installing new equipment and is a vital troubleshooting tool for existing systems. The investment in a proper power protection system, based on the audit's findings, will pay for itself many times over by preventing damage to sensitive electronics.
Relocating a CT scanner, MRI, or Cath Lab in Nigeria is a complex, 1-3 week project costing between NGN 5,000,000 and NGN 25,000,000. The process involves professional de-installation by an OEM-certified engineer, specialized crating, transport using an air-ride suspension truck to prevent damage from road vibrations, re-installation, and full system commissioning and calibration to OEM specifications at the new site.
This is not a job for general movers. It requires engineers with specific experience on your model, specialized lifting and transport equipment, and comprehensive goods-in-transit insurance. Meticulous planning is required, including a site survey of the new location to ensure the delivery path is clear and the power and cooling infrastructure is ready. The final step, commissioning, involves extensive quality control tests to guarantee the system is performing to the same standard as it was before the move.
The de-installation and disposal process involves safely powering down and dismantling the system, sanitizing patient data from all hard drives to protect privacy, and disposing of hazardous materials like lead (in X-ray/CT) and transformer oil in compliance with local environmental regulations (e.g., LASEPA in Lagos). The cost for this service ranges from NGN 500,000 to NGN 3,000,000, depending on the equipment's size and complexity.
This is a critical compliance and risk management activity. You must obtain a certificate of data destruction to prove you have protected patient confidentiality. A chain-of-custody document from the disposal company is also essential to prove that hazardous materials were handled correctly and did not end up in a landfill. For donor-funded projects, this documentation is a non-negotiable requirement for asset retirement.
Quality control (QC) involves regularly testing the equipment's performance using specialized tools called phantoms to verify that key metrics like image resolution, contrast, noise levels, and radiation dose are within OEM and regulatory limits. These tests should be performed by a qualified engineer or medical physicist at least quarterly or semi-annually as part of a comprehensive maintenance program.
The results from these QC tests are trended over time. This data-driven approach allows the service provider to spot gradual degradation in performance and predict a component failure before it happens. For example, a slow increase in image noise on a CT scanner might indicate an aging X-ray tube, allowing for a planned replacement rather than a sudden, catastrophic failure during a patient scan.
Electrical safety testing is performed annually using a calibrated electrical safety analyzer to test for earth continuity, insulation resistance, and various forms of leakage current. The purpose is to ensure the equipment complies with the IEC 60601-1 international standard for medical electrical equipment and is safe for both patients and operators. This is a fundamental part of any credible service program.
During the test, the equipment is checked under normal and single-fault conditions to ensure that no dangerous level of electrical current can flow to a patient or user. Every device that passes receives a sticker showing the test date, the name of the tester, and the next due date. The detailed results are recorded in a formal report which serves as crucial evidence of due diligence for hospital accreditation and in the event of any safety incident.
The key performance indicators (KPIs) you must track are equipment uptime percentage, Mean Time To Repair (MTTR), and First Visit Fix Rate. These metrics should be delivered in a monthly or quarterly performance report and, ideally, be accessible to you 24/7 via a live, web-based dashboard. These KPIs move the conversation from "Is it working?" to a data-driven analysis of service quality and equipment reliability.
Your goal should be an uptime of >95% for critical equipment like CT and MRI. A low MTTR (e.g., under 24 hours) shows your provider is efficient at diagnosing and fixing problems. A high First Visit Fix Rate (e.g., >85%) demonstrates that their engineers are competent and arrive on-site with the correct spare parts. Reviewing these KPIs with your provider regularly holds them accountable and helps identify trends that need addressing.
Standard payment terms for annual service contracts are quarterly or semi-annual payments in advance. For ad-hoc repairs, the common practice is 50% payment upfront to mobilize the engineer and source parts, with the remaining 50% due upon successful completion of the job. For large projects like equipment relocations or major upgrades, payments are typically structured around key milestones: for example, 30% on contract signing, 40% upon successful de-installation, and 30% upon final commissioning.
To ease cash flow pressures, especially for high-value Comprehensive Maintenance Contracts, some providers like Franance offer financing options. This allows you to spread the full annual cost into equal monthly payments. For government and large NGO contracts, providers may be required to submit a performance bond from a bank to guarantee their service delivery. All terms, including the policy on Withholding Tax (WHT), should be clearly documented in the service agreement.
Service is most readily available in the commercial hubs of Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, but providers with genuine nationwide coverage use a hub-and-spoke model to serve all 36 states. They establish engineering bases and spare parts depots in these key cities and then schedule routine PM visits to other states and remote locations in a cost-effective manner. This allows them to provide both emergency support in the hubs and planned maintenance across the country.
Franance operates from strategic hubs in Lagos (serving the South-West), Abuja (serving the North-Central and FCT), Port Harcourt (serving the South-South and South-East), and Kano (serving the North-West and North-East). This structure enables us to provide both rapid emergency response and scheduled PM support across all geopolitical zones. We have proven logistics and security protocols for operating effectively in every state, including conflict-affected areas in the North-East, ensuring our NGO and government partners receive consistent service regardless of location.
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A Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) for a CT scanner in Nigeria typically costs 8-12% of the equipment's value annually. For a GE Optima CT540, this covers all parts, including the expensive X-ray tube, transferring all financial risk to the provider. A less expensive Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) costs around 4-6% but excludes major components, leaving you exposed to high costs for critical failures.
Expect a 4-6 hour on-site response time for critical MRI issues within Lagos under a premium service level agreement (SLA). For non-critical faults on a Siemens Magnetom Avanto 1.5T, a 24-hour response is standard. Your SLA must clearly define 'critical' versus 'non-critical' and specify penalties for non-compliance, such as service credits for extended downtime.
Verify a provider by requesting case studies and references from hospitals using similar equipment, like a Philips Ingenia 1.5T MRI. Ask for proof of OEM-certified training for their engineers on your specific models. A site visit to their workshop to inspect their test equipment and spare parts inventory for systems like the GE Revolution CT is a critical due diligence step.
The SOW must detail preventive maintenance (PM) frequency, a full list of covered parts, and specific uptime guarantees, such as 95%. For a digital X-ray like the Siemens Ysio Max, it should specify biannual detector and generator calibration checks. The SOW must also outline the escalation procedure for unresolved issues and the required format for all service reports.
Outsourcing is generally more cost-effective for complex imaging equipment like a GE Discovery PET/CT. While an in-house team handles basic tasks, they often lack the specialized training and expensive diagnostic tools for high-end modalities. Outsourcing to a provider with multiple trained engineers avoids the single-point-of-failure risk and high costs of OEM training and proprietary software.
The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) requires that any service provider's engineers be licensed to work on radiation-emitting devices. After any major repair on a C-Arm like the Siemens Cios Alpha, a Quality Assurance (QA) test must be performed by an NNRA-licensed medical physicist. Ensure your provider includes this QA report as part of their service documentation for your compliance audits.
Your service contract should specify a 24/7 emergency hotline and a guaranteed remote diagnostic response within 1 hour. For a critical failure on a Toshiba Aquilion Prime CT, the protocol involves immediate remote login by a senior engineer. If a site visit is needed, the SLA should guarantee an engineer is dispatched within 2-4 hours for major cities like Abuja or Port Harcourt, even on weekends.
A typical preventive maintenance (PM) schedule for a GE Optima CT540 involves two major and two minor visits per year. The major PM includes gantry lubrication, detector calibration, X-ray tube checks, and phantom image quality tests. Minor PMs focus on cleaning air filters, checking power supplies, and performing software diagnostics. This proactive schedule minimizes unexpected downtime and extends the tube's life.
Onboarding with a new provider typically takes 1-2 weeks from contract signing. The process involves an initial site audit and equipment assessment, where engineers inspect your Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution or other systems. They create a baseline report, tag the assets, and establish communication protocols with your biomedical and clinical teams. The service level agreement (SLA) officially commences after this joint sign-off.
An Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) for a Hologic Selenia Dimensions mammogram covers labor and preventive maintenance but excludes expensive parts like the detector or X-ray tube. A Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) is all-inclusive, covering all labor, travel, and parts, offering complete budget predictability. A CMC transfers the full financial risk of a major component failure to your service provider.
Equipment uptime is calculated as (Total Scheduled Operating Hours - Downtime) / Total Scheduled Operating Hours, expressed as a percentage. Downtime for your Siemens Artis zee Cath Lab begins when you log a fault and ends when the machine is certified ready for patient use. Contracts must specify an uptime guarantee, often 95% or higher, with financial penalties for falling short.
A digital X-ray detector, like the one in a Carestream DRX-Evolution Plus, should undergo a full calibration at least annually. Routine quality control checks and gain calibrations should be performed quarterly as recommended by the OEM. This ensures consistent image quality and accurate dose reporting, which is critical for diagnostic confidence and patient safety. Your service contract must explicitly list this activity.
OEMs offer guaranteed access to proprietary software and parts but at a premium price. Third-party providers are more cost-effective and flexible, often providing faster response times for common issues on a GE Logiq E9 ultrasound. The main risk with some third-parties is access to specific parts and high-level diagnostic codes. A reputable third-party with a strong track record and parts inventory offers the best value.
Reputable service providers maintain a local inventory of common failure parts for models like the Philips Ingenuity CT in Lagos or Abuja. For rarer components, they leverage international logistics partners for express shipping, typically with a 3-5 day turnaround. Your contract should specify the provider's spare parts strategy and any additional costs for expedited shipping to avoid unexpected bills during a crisis.
Yes, providers offer bundled contracts for facilities with multiple systems, which can reduce the overall cost by 10-15%. A hospital with a GE MRI, CT, and X-ray can consolidate them under one Master Service Agreement (MSA). This simplifies procurement, provides a single point of contact for all service calls, and increases your leverage for negotiating better terms and priority service.
For critical equipment like a Cath Lab, having a provider with engineers in your city (e.g., Port Harcourt, Kano) is crucial for meeting a 4-hour response SLA. For less critical modalities or in remote locations, a provider with a strong regional presence and a clear travel policy can be sufficient. Verify their ability to meet the agreed response time for your specific location before signing a contract.
After a major repair, such as an X-ray tube replacement on a Siemens Somatom go.Up, you need a detailed service report. This report must include the part numbers of old and new components, post-repair calibration data, and a signed confirmation that the system meets OEM performance specifications. For NNRA compliance, a radiation safety and quality assurance report from a licensed physicist is also mandatory.
Yes, you can perform basic troubleshooting. For a GE Voluson E8, first check for simple issues like loose probe connections, power cable security, and perform a full system reboot. Check the error log for specific codes, which can help the service engineer diagnose the problem remotely. This initial check can often resolve minor software glitches, saving you the cost and time of a service call.
An unexpected CT tube replacement can cost millions of Naira, disrupting your budget. A Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) is the best way to avoid this, as it covers the cost. If you are on a break-fix model, financing solutions like Franance can provide a structured payment plan, allowing you to get your GE Revolution EVO back online quickly without a massive upfront capital outlay.
You should expect a detailed service report within 24 hours of a completed job. For a PM on a Philips Affiniti 70 ultrasound, the report must include a checklist of all tasks performed, parts replaced, and the final system status. Quarterly, your provider should supply a summary report detailing all service calls, response times, and downtime, helping you track performance against the SLA.
Ask about the specific training and certification level of the engineers who will service your equipment. Inquire about their years of experience on your exact models, like the Siemens Healthineers Acuson S2000. Ask how many engineers are trained on that platform to ensure they have backup capacity. Finally, request to speak directly with the lead engineer assigned to your account to gauge their expertise.
Calibration adjusts the equipment to meet specific performance standards, like ensuring the output of a mammography machine's X-ray tube is accurate. Quality Assurance (QA) is a broader process of regular tests to verify the equipment continues to operate correctly over time, such as daily phantom image tests on a CT scanner. Your service contract should include both scheduled calibration and support for your internal QA program.
A nationwide provider is better if you have facilities in multiple cities, as it offers standardized service and pricing. They typically have a larger parts inventory and more specialized engineers for high-end systems like a Siemens Biograph mCT PET/CT. A local provider may offer a more personal relationship and potentially faster response times in their specific city, but may lack the resources for complex repairs.
The first step is the post-installation handover from the OEM installation team to your chosen service provider. Your provider's engineers should be present during the final commissioning of a GE Signa Explorer MRI. They will perform a joint inspection, review the installation reports, and establish a baseline performance record. This ensures a smooth transition and confirms the system is in perfect condition from day one of the service contract.
The most common failure points on a C-Arm, such as a Philips Zenition 70, are the high-voltage cables, the X-ray tube, and the image intensifier or flat-panel detector. The articulating arm's wiring and mechanical locks also wear from constant movement. Regular preventive maintenance focusing on cable inspection, tube calibration, and mechanical lubrication is the most effective way to prevent these common failures.
This depends entirely on your contract's terms. A standard service contract for a Siemens Magnetom Aera MRI typically covers the scanner itself but excludes ancillary systems like the chiller and UPS. You must ensure your contract is explicitly extended to cover these critical support systems. Otherwise, a chiller failure will be a separate, costly emergency call-out not covered by your agreement.
Standard payment terms for an Annual or Comprehensive Maintenance Contract are typically an upfront payment for the full year. Some providers may offer quarterly payment options for larger contracts to help with cash flow management. For ad-hoc, break-fix services, payment is usually required upon completion of the repair. Always clarify payment terms before signing to avoid any misunderstanding.
Your SLA should define a clear escalation path. The first level is the field engineer. If the issue on your GE OEC Elite C-Arm persists after a set time (e.g., 8 hours), it should be escalated to a senior technical specialist or the service manager. The next level would be the country director. This path ensures complex problems receive higher-level technical and management attention promptly.
Yes, maintaining a detailed equipment logbook is a regulatory requirement and a best practice. The logbook for your digital X-ray system should record all service activities, preventive maintenance, quality control tests, and any faults. This provides a complete service history for NNRA audits and helps service engineers diagnose recurring problems more efficiently. Your provider's service reports should be filed in this logbook.
Third-party providers can typically handle routine software patches and updates that address performance or bugs. However, major system software upgrades on a Philips Incisive CT, which add new clinical features, are often proprietary and can only be performed by the OEM. Clarify the scope of software support with any potential third-party provider to understand what is included and what would require OEM intervention.