Buying Medical Equipment for a Singapore Clinic: A Procurement Checklist
Most equipment regret is not about the device. It is about consumables that turn out to be expensive, servicing that turns out to be overseas, or a purchase that never had a clear specification.
1. Specify before you shop
- What clinical need does this meet?
- Who will use it, and what training do they need?
- How often, and in which room?
- What is the minimum acceptable specification, as distinct from the desirable one?
Shopping before specifying is how you end up with features you pay for and never use.
2. Regulatory checks
- Is the supplier licensed to supply medical devices in Singapore?
- Is the device registered where its class requires?
- Is documentation available for your quality file?
See HSA registration.
3. Total cost of ownership
Ask for these in writing, not verbally:
- Consumables — unit cost, expected usage, lead time.
- Calibration — interval, cost, whether it leaves the premises.
- Servicing — cost, turnaround, loan unit availability.
- Expected life and replacement parts availability.
- Power and consumable compatibility with what you already own.
A cheaper device with expensive proprietary consumables usually loses over five years.
4. Questions for the supplier
- What exactly is in the box?
- What is the local warranty, and what voids it?
- Who performs servicing, and where?
- What is the typical turnaround for a repair?
- Are loan units available during servicing?
- Can you supply reference sites in Singapore?
- What training is included?
5. Commercial
- GST treatment and whether quoted prices include it.
- Purchase order process if you are an institution.
- Payment terms and lead time.
- Bulk pricing — worth asking even for modest quantities.
6. On delivery
- Check contents against the order before signing.
- Record serial numbers in your asset register.
- Schedule the first calibration immediately.
- File warranty documents somewhere findable in two years.
For bulk or departmental purchasing, send us the specification and we will quote against it — request a quote.
See also warranty and servicing and GST and purchase orders.
More in this guide
- Calibration and Maintenance Schedules by Device Type