West Bar Veterinary Hospital Ltd (West Bar Vets) has invested in new imaging equipment with the help of Siemens Financial Services (SFS). West Bar Vets is a mixed practice veterinary hospital based in Banbury. Now a ten-vet practice with four consulting branches and providing 24hour care, West Bar Vets can trace its origins to the 1880s when it operated as a blacksmith’s shoeing forge.
The practice wanted to replace its ageing ultrasound to improve clinical efficiency and image quality. As a relatively small business, West Bar Vets needed a solution that would protect its capital reserves while enabling the business to stay ahead of the technological curve.
Richard Byrne BVetMed MRCVS, Director and Partner at West Bar Vets explains, “We wanted to upgrade our current ultrasound and looked carefully at a number of systems on the market. We even trialled another machine but ultimately the technology from Siemens Healthineers offered us the best value for money.”
The practice worked with PLH Medical to acquire the Siemens Healthineers Acuson P500 Ultrasound Solution. The system offers a number of technological advantages to others on the market including increased processing speed and enhanced image quality with exclusive motion correction. Additionally, the ultrasound system is compact and, once installed, it was easy for the practice to wirelessly link the system to its picture archiving and communication system (PACS). This means that patient ultrasound images are instantly available throughout the practice. Since installation, the practice has found that the PACS connection is reliable, unlike previous systems that have been used.
Siemens’ experienced team of ultrasonographers were able to understand the practice’s needs and demonstrate the systems capabilities in a live simulation. The process of arranging finance for the acquisition was made easy and straightforward. The team also ensured that the arrangement was made in time for West Bar Vets to claim the VAT immediately after the transaction.
Richard explains: “We hadn’t used equipment finance before but, compared to banks, the process of arranging finance was easy and straightforward and most importantly the rate was competitive.”
SFS tailored the finance solution to enable the practice to take advantage of an after sales service five year warranty to ensure peace of mind and a competitive rate.
“When purchasing very technical veterinary equipment like radiology or ultrasound, you can easily pay a lot of money for something that is already old. The pace of change is so fast that you have to be vigilant to stay ahead of the curve. We’re really happy with the new system.”
Sally-Anne Whybrow of Healthcare Finance for Siemens Financial Services in the UK adds, “It was a pleasure working with West Bar Vets to provide the best possible solution for their practice. An ultrasound is a key piece of diagnostic equipment and this system will make a significant difference for the many pets and their owners that visit the hospital.”