Where Did All The Money Go?

If you’re a sonographer working on old aged ultrasound equipment and listening to Doctor’s day in and day out complain about what they are reading, then you know what I mean when I say “where does all the money go.”

It’s not in the budget this year but maybe next year. I think most will agree with me when i say there is only so much “optimizing “a sonographer can do with equipment that has been upgraded to the latest software that it could possibly be upgraded to, for the fifth time, or when you are missing half your TGC knobs, when you walk in to start your day and you have to turn the system on because it takes an hour for it to boot up.  If you’re working with your probe cords wrapped in duct tape stop now! That’s where I draw the line. We all know that’s a safety hazard to the patient and I don’t think any of you would do that, but you get my point.

About six years ago I was working at a very busy Cardiology office that had an ACUSON Sequoia. Now everyone who has been doing this awhile knows those systems are beasts! Everyone loved them including me. I just think the place I was working didn’t take care of it properly or have it properly maintained and updated. I wanted to throw that thing out the window! The only reason I didn’t Is because I couldn’t lift it. Another facility I worked at I walked into work one day so excited because I knew our “new” systems were being delivered that day. It was going to be a complete surprise since we hadn’t seen or had any demonstrations on them. When I got to work I walked in the room, and the best way to describe my feeling was like a little kid who went out to the tree Christmas morning only to find nothing under it. It turned out our “new” equipment was twenty year old refurbished equipment that was bigger than my ford expedition, or so it seemed. A month later I handed in my resignation.

My point is today companies are making some really good plunkable systems that do not cost an arm and a leg to purchase. I mean after all almost everyone has or has access to an Iphone these days, and already that’s what it has come to in some places, But There is nothing more frustrating then working our butts off on a 20 year old ultrasound machine, doing eight or more patients a day when down the hall they are installing a brand new CT scanner.

Then they want to know why the fire burns out in our job. Why we come in day after day to listen to Doctor’s complain about our images and why contrast wasn’t used, leaving us walking away saying to ourselves “there’s got to be a better life”.

Well don’t give up, it may take doing some of the leg work and finding some options that meet the needs of your facility and getting together some pricing quotes for the decision maker but it can be done. If that doesn’t maybe just some continuous complaining will, but your turn for the new system install will come soon.

S

Sonographers Work Hard For Their Money

D

Does Your Manager Know Ultrasound?

C

Can’t We All Just Get Along