The hybrid operating room that became available after the relocation of the two Tergooi MC branches in Blaricum and Hilversum was recently auctioned by BMA. BMA is a part of TBAuctions, one of the largest B2B auction house in Europe in terms of revenue. The originally British auction house for used medical equipment now also auctions for hospitals in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France. The hybrid OR that was auctioned included, among other items, a Philips Allura Xper FD20, as well as the entire OR inventory and the specially designed temporary building for this OR. Even the blood pressure monitors, scalpels, and lighting were auctioned. Thanks to the transparent auction mechanism, it reaches interested organizations worldwide in a very targeted manner. This not only ensures the most optimal proceeds but also ensures that everything ends up somewhere where it can be used.
Choice for Auction
Jeroen van Dam, Manager of the Clinical Physics and Medical Technology department at Tergooi MC, stated: “We sold this hybrid operating room because it was a modular building that was separate from the hospital. It was built by us in collaboration with Philips about 7 years ago and has served as a hybrid OR all this time. Now, this complex (including the X-ray machine) is getting a new lease of life elsewhere. We support this because we have a significant responsibility in terms of circularity. We deliberately chose to offer it at auction because it took all the concerns regarding sales and logistics off our hands. An added benefit: BMA nearly doubled the net proceeds compared to the offers we had received ourselves. We are very pleased with that.”
GDPR and Patient Data on the Equipment
Many digital devices contain various (patient) data, often making it not a straightforward matter to resell them to other healthcare institutions. Lloyd Klaassen, Managing Director of BMA Benelux, DACH & Nordics, says: “We have been certified for years to take care of selling used medical equipment for hospitals. This involves carefully disinfecting, disassembling, and preparing everything for safe transport. But we also ensure that all, often digital devices, are provided with a certificate, which means they are cleaned and restored to their original factory settings without leaving behind a single piece of patient data. This is a fundamental requirement for our customers who must ensure data security in accordance with GDPR regulations. BMA also ensures that all matters related to hygiene and liability are well organized.
Also, logistics are a significant operation in the case of this hybrid operating room because not only must the medical equipment be prepared for safe transport, but the modular building must also be disassembled. Due to the presence of lead in large parts of the building for radiology purposes, this must be done with great care. “It will be satisfying to see that the 18 trailers required for this will transport the entire operating room to a new life elsewhere. And when this operating room improves healthcare in its new location, everyone benefits,” says Klaassen. Furthermore, these auctions increasingly allow hospitals to sustainably reuse and monetize their sometimes-significant inventory of unused equipment.
A Hybrid Operating Room
In the hybrid operating room of Tergooi Medical Center, a combination of high-tech surgery and digital imaging techniques is utilized. In many hospitals, patients first go to radiology and then undergo surgery. In the hybrid operating room, the radiologist, surgeon, and the surgical team are all present at the operating table simultaneously. Real-time, high-definition images provide much better information for the surgical team. This offers significant benefits for the patient. The hybrid operating room is also referred to as the operating room of the future.
About British Medical Auctions
BMA auctions surplus, outdated, end-of-line, and decommissioned medical equipment from all healthcare environments. Weekly and monthly online auctions are held for a global buyer audience. They offer a wide variety of medical equipment, including equipment for the operating room, dialysis, radiology, ventilation, patient monitoring, anesthesia, endoscopy, as well as ambulance setups and complete laboratory equipment. All the services provided by BMA are tailored to hospital and healthcare institution buyers, as well as brokers and financial institutions. It involves more than just online auction sales, although that is the core activity. Additionally, BMA offers other services such as certified data erasure of (patient) data present in the equipment, assuming liability, de-installation, and on-site pickup. For more information about BMA, visit www.britishmedicalauctions.co.uk.
In the photo, Jeroen van Dam (left) poses with Lloyd Klaassen (center) who organized the auction with Boudewijn Samsom and medical physicist Jeroen Verbunt (right) in front of the hybrid OR. The photo they hold together shows the Philips Allura Xper FD20 X-ray machine.
