Health Science & Medical Equipment
Embracing Field Service to Manage Critical Medical Demands
Medical equipment manufacturers are contributing to longer and healthier lives. The market is growing, but it's competitive and regulated. To adapt, manufacturers are shifting from sales to services.
SAP Field Service Management helps provide excellent service in this industry and boosts efficiency and productivity for sustainable quality gains.
6 Challenges in Field Service of Health Science & Medical Equipment Industry
1. Fierce competition
Third-party service providers offer the same services at a 30% lower price than manufacturers. They don't have to comply with as many requirements, which gives them a cost advantage. This issue is specific to the medical service sector.
2. Stigma on services
Manufacturers view services as an expense rather than a revenue opportunity, which will become problematic as machines last longer and require more maintenance instead of replacements.
3. Tracking inventory
Accurate and up-to-date inventory is crucial for quality performance in the health sciences and medical equipment industry due to the high turnover of consumables.
4. Critical uptime
In the medical sector, unexpected downtime can jeopardize patient safety, making the scheduling of routine maintenance and repairs more complex and critical to ensuring reliable service and uptime, unlike other industries where breakdowns mostly result in lost production and revenue.
5. High-level of security
The medical sector could benefit greatly from IoT's connectivity potential. Still, the need for data security when handling confidential patient records is higher than in many other industries.
6. Competitive pricing
Hospitals and healthcare facilities join purchasing groups to negotiate better prices for expensive medical equipment. Few enterprises can match the economic power of these groups.