Building Your 2027 Imaging Service Budget
HTM INSIGHTS · COAST TO COAST HTM
Planning Your 2027 Imaging Service Budget: A Year-End Checklist
Five steps to protect uptime, control costs and avoid surprises in the year ahead
By Christopher F.
The end of the year is when most imaging departments lock in next year's budget. It's also when service costs are easiest to underestimate. One unplanned tube failure, one expired contract or one end-of-life notice can wipe out a year's savings in a single week.
The good news is that most of those surprises can be planned for. Here is the checklist we walk through with our clients every fall.
1. Take inventory of every system and its age
Start with a complete list of your imaging equipment: mammography, CT, MRI, X-ray and C-arm. For each system, note its installation date, its software version and its repair history over the last 12 months.
Age alone doesn't tell you when a system will fail, but repair history does. A unit that needed three service calls this year is likely to need more next year. Flag those systems first, because they are where your budget is most at risk.
2. Review every service contract before it renews
Many contracts renew automatically, often at a higher rate. Before yours do, ask three questions:
- Does the coverage match how the system is actually used? A high-volume screening unit needs a different level of support than a backup room.
- What are the guaranteed response times? A low price means little if a technician can't reach you for days.
- Are parts included, and where do they come from? Parts are often the biggest hidden cost in a service agreement.
- If a contract no longer fits, the months before renewal are the time to compare options, not the week it lapses.
3. Plan for parts, not just labor
Parts are where budgets get blown. Build a line item for the high-failure components on each system, and decide in advance how you'll source them.
Verified refurbished parts can cut costs significantly compared with new OEM parts, as long as they are tested, documented and traceable. Grey market parts may look cheaper, but they can come with unknown histories and no accountability. For a full breakdown, see our earlier post, Grey Market vs. Verified Refurbished.
4. Check for end-of-life and end-of-support notices
When a manufacturer ends support for a system, parts get harder to find and service gets more expensive. Check whether any of your equipment has received an end-of-life or end-of-support notice, or is likely to in the next two years.
An end-of-life notice doesn't always mean you need to replace the system right away. With the right independent service partner, many systems can stay in reliable clinical use for years. We covered one example in Turning Hologic's EOL Notice into Opportunity.
5. Budget for downtime, not just repairs
The true cost of a failure isn't only the repair bill. It's the cancelled appointments, the rescheduled patients and the lost revenue while a room sits idle.
When you compare service options, weigh how fast each one gets you back up and running. Preventive maintenance done on schedule is almost always cheaper than an emergency repair. For practical ways to reduce downtime, see How to Reduce Medical Imaging Equipment Downtime.
How Coast to Coast HTM helps
Coast to Coast HTM supports mammography and radiology departments with routine maintenance, urgent repairs, installations, flexible service contracts and verified refurbished parts. We keep high-failure parts available within six hours and offer remote support within 15 minutes, so you can plan your budget around predictable service rather than emergencies.
We're also happy to review your current contracts and equipment list with you before your 2027 budget is final. There's no obligation, and you'll come away with a clearer picture of where your service dollars are going.
Ready to plan your 2027 service budget?
Contact Coast to Coast HTM today to schedule a free service and contract review. Let's make 2027 the year your imaging equipment works as hard as your team does.
