Efficient warehousing and logistics solutions are essential to streamlining operations, reducing lead times, and improving overall operational efficiency.
The medical device industry faces unique challenges in managing product returns and reverse logistics.
OEMs must have a clear budgeting strategy and a trusted partner to manage the financial impact.
Choosing the right partner to handle FCAs can make or break a company’s reputation.
The healthcare and medical device industries face unique IT challenges where compliance, security, and system reliability are paramount.
The ability to effectively demonstrate product value, manage clinical trials, and provide seamless evaluations is crucial to commercial success.
A robust QMS can help medical device companies deliver quality, mitigate risk and improve several aspects of their operations.
One of the most critical aspects of building a successful medical device company is establishing a robust infrastructure that supports quality, reliability, and scalability.
Partnering for depot repair services can enable OEMs to maximize their device's uptime and increase customer satisfaction.
Start-up medical device Original Equipment Manufacaturers face a specific set of problems that outsourcing can help solve, leading to faster commercialization and increased profitability.
Outsourcing depot repair for medical devices can be a strategic move for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), offering benefits such as cost savings, access to specialized expertise, and improved operational efficiency.
Healthcare OEMs can gain a significant strategic advantage by outsourcing thier depot repair operations to a qualified partner.
Quest International's flexible and scalable services allow OEMs to act with agility to change and disruptions.
Quest International works with medical device OEMs to ensure that they never experience any laspes in continuity or extended periods of downtime.
Quest International works with all of its customers to create financial solutions that ensure their operations are cost effective.
With the medical device market expected to grow 6.1% to $291 billion by 2030, there is a lot to gain for companies that can maximize their operations while focusing on innovation and growth.
From Field Service Medical 2024, Pasha Arshadi discusses how medical OEMs can improve their operations by partnering with a third-party solutions provider like Quest International.
The future of the medical device industry will be driven by new technologies and advances in healthcare. The repair and maintenance of medical devices and equipment will need to keep pace with these evolutions, growing more technically complex and sophisticated.
In the dynamic medical device industry, one size never fits all when it comes to aftermarket support solutions. Recognizing this, Quest International offers a commitment to customization when it comes to our depot repair services.
Quest International doubles warehousing capacity to boost logistics and supply chain offerings for medical OEM clients.
Quest International upgrades its ISO 27001 certification from 2013 to 2022 to bolster its cybersecurity resiliency and offer greater protection to its customers.
ISO 14001:2015 is an internationally agreed-upon standard of requirements for an environmental management system (EMS). ISO 14001:2015 certification demonstrates an organization’s adherence to internationally recognized codes of practice and effective environmental control measures.
As a leader in your organization, it is your responsibility to meet safety compliance and regulations by ensuring that your employees are safe while they are engaged in field service duties.
Five Key Metrics for Improved Performance, Greater Customer Satisfaction, and Increased Revenues
Increase Productivity, Cut Costs, and Improve the Bottom Line
With 2024 less than two months away, finalizing annual budgets is at the top of everyone’s To-Do list.
With year-end just around the corner, you may be thinking about how to increase revenues by getting your product shipped, installed, and supported at your customers’ locations. You may also be considering how best to manage growth and/or seasonal demand with your current staff.
Now that you’ve decided to outsource your depot and field services support to gain cost savings, flexibility, and peace of mind, it’s important to ensure quality customer care from your outsourced partner.
Maintaining your depot and field service work can be taxing and expensive. There are ever-increasing overhead costs, including warehousing and equipment, plus staff costs, such as attracting and retaining valued employees, as well as dealing with potentially high turnover and ongoing training.
Inflation, the great technology reset, and labor shortages in field services continue to directly impact Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEM) overhead costs, particularly travel, labor, and equipment expenditures.
Tips to maintain quality customer service
Across the U.S., nearly 1,400 health centers provided care to more than 30 million people in 2021, regardless of their ability to pay, according to the Government Accountability Office. Health centers were established to increase the availability of primary and preventive health services for low-income people living in medically underserved areas.
In today's fast-paced, interconnected world, round-the-clock availability has become necessary for businesses across various industries. Companies must ensure uninterrupted and efficient service delivery as customer expectations continue to soar. Quest International helps companies deliver always-on services with our 24/7 support programs. In this blog post, we will explore how Quest’s commitment to providing continuous support can enable your company to provide a superior customer experience.
The United Nations Global Compact is an agreement, signed by more than 15,000 businesses and 4,000 organizations, to uphold a set of principles that guide businesses to be a force for good in the world. Businesses are encouraged to behave responsibly by aligning their strategies and operations with Ten Principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. To maintain membership in the Global Compact, businesses must complete Communications on Progress, showing that they are taking the steps necessary to help meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
In the Healthcare industry, it is crucial for equipment to function correctly and ensure the best quality of care for patients. For medical device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), service and repair of equipment can be daunting, especially for large and complex devices. However, with the help of Quest International, OEMs can quickly address their equipment issues by outsourcing day-to-day field service and depot repair requirements to Quest.
The ANSI/ESD S20.20-2014 registration demonstrates that a company has implemented measures to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) in manufacturing or service processes. ESD can harm electronic devices and lead to failures or malfunctions. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Electrostatic Discharge Association (ESDA) grant the registration.
ISO registration is an internationally recognized standard that signifies a company has established, implemented, and maintains quality management systems that meet international standards. Companies that choose to partner with ISO-registered companies can reap several benefits including the assurance of having a documented quality system, a high level of deliverable quality assurance, risk management, competitive advantage, and compliance with industry regulations.
As dental practices look for ways to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs, adopting dental robotics has become increasingly popular. These sophisticated machines can perform various tasks, from imaging and diagnosis to drilling and shaping teeth. However, like any complex equipment, dental robotics require regular maintenance and support to ensure optimal performance. This is where field service comes in.
Information security has become a critical aspect of business operations in today's digital age. Organizations of all sizes and industries are at risk of data breaches and cyber-attacks. As a result, businesses need to ensure that their information security management systems (ISMS) are robust and effective. This is where ISO 27001:2022 registration comes in.
When it comes to servicing medical devices, quality, and safety are non-negotiable. That is where ISO 13485:2016 registration comes into play.
Quest International is ISO 14001:2015 registered, a standard for environmental management systems that demonstrates the company's commitment to protecting the environment. By obtaining this registration, Quest sets an example for other organizations to follow in exhibiting environmental responsibility. Companies working with Quest can also benefit from this registration, as it provides a framework to lower their ecological footprint.
ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems that provide organizations with various benefits related to products and services offered to their customers. This certification is particularly relevant for OEMs outsourcing their depot repair and field services as it provides a structured system within an organization based on quality work, improved customer satisfaction, increased efficiency, and a competitive advantage in the market.
Every Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has several concurrent, ongoing concerns when their products are out with customers. They must ensure their product reliably performs as promised and serves its role within the customer’s ecosystem. OEMs must also be prepared for what happens when their product inevitably needs repairs. When complications arise, companies must get their product serviced and up and running as soon as possible, with a minimal adverse effect on the customer, ensuring their brand reputation remains untarnished.
As Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) look for ways to improve their operations and better serve their customers, they can turn to third-party service partners for help. From logistics, installation, maintenance, and warranty management, third-party service partners can provide a range of benefits to OEMs, helping them deliver and support their products more effectively.
With more than 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Quest International has the quality systems, tools, knowledge, and footprint to provide end to end product support for medical device manufacturers worldwide.
Although job openings have surged to record highs, the United States labor market is still experiencing a significant gap between supply and demand. In fact, 42% of business leaders have reported that they cannot fill current job openings.
IT environments today are constantly bombarded with cyber and ransomware attacks. All organizations are vulnerable to these attacks, and every organization has vulnerabilities in their IT protection plan. While nothing can guarantee 100% protection, Quest can make one claim that many others cannot: we are ISO 27001 certified.
Technology provides great opportunities for business owners, and to compete in today’s business environment, technology must be interwoven into the company. Unfortunately, these opportunities have brought vulnerabilities and headaches to business owners across all industries.
When Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are in need of repair services for their products, they may choose to outsource the work by partnering with a third-party depot repair provider like Quest.
Rising interest rates, supply chain issues, limited labor pools, inflation, and a potential recession have caused Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to struggle with their aftermarket service delivery needs.
Across the board, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) struggle to find reliable, well-trained staff to meet their service needs in order to differentiate their brand and meet necessary service obligations to their customers.
Healthcare supply chain management, or healthcare supply chain logistics, is defined as “the regulation of the flow of medical goods and services from manufacturer to patient.”
OEMs such as medical device manufacturers, often face logistical challenges when providing pre- and post- sales customer support for new products or technologies. For example, an end-user has taken delivery of a new device or system, but how do they install and set it up correctly?
Quest offers consultative expertise and business-driven solutions beyond managing, monitoring, and hosting. Our goal is to deliver an end-to-end cost-effective solution to formulate and manage your IT infrastructure to maximize uptime and maintain a high level of secured performance.
One of the biggest challenges seen today are supply chain delays—more specifically, being unable to efficiently ship products back overseas that may require service or repair.
Nearshoring, onshoring, and offshoring are all methods of outsourcing production. Nearshoring and onshoring, however, occur within a company’s national borders.
There are negative environmental impacts to offshoring—outsourcing product production to a different continent—including pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Nearshoring is a cost-effective strategy for OEMs to bring operations closer to their corporate HQ or bring things back into the regional or local marketplace.
Quest offers OEM product life cycle support from cradle to grave while maintaining white glove customer support so our clients can focus on their priorities.
A Master Training or a Train-the-trainer program is a unique service to Quest offers to its Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) clients. Our team essentially becomes certified “master trainers” by training under the OEMs product training Subject Matter Experts (SME).
Cyber-attacks are an ever-increasing threat to Healthcare infrastructure, especially legacy devices. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) bear responsibility for protecting devices, both old and new, from cybersecurity threats to mitigate the risks to patient safety.
As the leading global post-sales service support partner delivering end-to-end solutions for healthcare and life sciences original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide, Quest partners with a myriad of OEMs to enhance their technical service capabilities.
Quest actively implements the United Nations Global Compact Principles in an effort to continue increasing our global sustainability. Their principles and global goals are in alignment with what we, at Quest, aim to uphold as well.
Quest assists OEMs in designing, planning, and implementing an outsourced supply chain management program that contributes to their profit goals and provides the maximum value for their assets.
Our white-glove service elevates the experiences our Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) give to their customers. Read our client success story which provides insight into how our team transforms the OEM user experience to improve customer satisfaction and reduce operating costs.
NPS stands for a Net Promoter Score, the standard metric used to measure customer experience programs. It takes into account various factors such as customer loyalty and overall satisfaction. Essentially, it's a widely used metric across the globe to gauge customer experience.
Product corrective actions, recalls and remediation’s impact hundreds of device manufacturers every year. According to MDDI Online, in 2019 alone, the FDA issued 48 product recalls to medical device manufacturers. The actions made following a product recall can make or break a company’s reputation within the healthcare industry.
Quest is the leading technical service provider for device manufacturers worldwide. We have built a global network of resources and infrastructure to help facilitate service execution on behalf of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to meet their service delivery needs.
The idea behind Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) utilizing outsourced service providers is to offload the time and resources it would take to service equipment themselves. It's a great strategy but requires the right partner that can ensure devices are correctly serviced to manufacturer’s specifications in a timely manner.
How can companies use outsourced field repair and depot services? Companies without the resources to store, service and repair equipment can partner with us to use our global depot services to house and repair equipment they don’t have the space or resources to hold.
What does initiating a partnership with Quest look like? The onboarding process between Quest and our clients helps both parties understand each other, along with how we as a company can ensure a smooth process. Ultimately while each client has different needs, the onboarding process is generally similar.
As an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the cost and time associated with storing, servicing, and supporting all of your products can be challenging. You are essentially supporting legacy products while innovating and improving your new products. In some cases...
As the leading post-sales service provider, Quest works with many medical device manufacturers to provide depot repair and field services. Frequently, there are aspects of the product design stage that isn’t considered as part of the overall product life cycle.
Day to day business requires addressing crises and reacting to client needs, but a steady maintenance schedule can prevent or catch critical errors before they negatively impact machines, clients and cause late-night repair calls.
Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are important and common tools used in the healthcare system. Oftentimes, Human Machine Interfaces are the point of failure of connected systems. How can you support the systems that make your healthcare technology interface with the teams that use them?
With the advent of computer technology, recordkeeping has now gone paperless. Technological advances in computers and software development allow Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to create applications assisting the end user operators of their systems in capturing, storing, and retrieving data electronically.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) relying on their own brick and mortar repair depots often spend significant amounts of company time and resources dedicated to servicing equipment that is a critical part of their business, yet the service aspect is often approached as an afterthought as it is not an OEM’s core competency.
As the Healthcare industry continues to exponentially grow, so do the challenges of supplying the necessary resources and infrastructure required to support these medical devices. Device manufacturers are in need of specific quality and regulatory processes required to effectively service their products in the field or in designated service centers.
We understand that one size does not fit all. Quest takes a fit-for-purpose approach with our clients. While a preventive management approach to implement a managed service is preferred, there may be situations where companies need IT support only when required.
As companies experience growth, they often run into challenges in meeting the fluctuating demand of their supply chains. For businesses looking to augment their current logistics operations or outsource specific processes, they seek to partner with a trusted 3PL provider.
The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed security measures across every major business. From non-essential employees working from home to hospitals overloaded with patients—the susceptibility of a security breach is more prevalent than ever.
What many thought would be months away has finally become a reality. We have entered the Resuscitation (Phase 3) of our journey through this pandemic.
On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization officially characterized COVID-19 a pandemic, marking the beginning of the Standstill (Phase 1). During this stage, the coronavirus outbreak had become a severe threat to global economies, and as a result, businesses were shuttered and stay-at-home orders took effect around the world.
Working as a partner with many leading medical device manufacturers, we are continuously gaining insight into the effects this pandemic has on these organizations. As we work to forge a path to normalcy, we've identified seven phases we will encounter on the road to recovery.
With the healthcare industry in America struggling to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be a gaping hole that manufacturers aren’t paying attention to.
Medical device manufacturers are on the world’s stage as they respond to and assist those reeling from COVID-19 outbreaks.
COVID-19 has (and will) have far-reaching effects on the medical device industry and their subsequent supply chains.
Recently, the 2020 Field Service Medical Conference took place in Rancho Bernardo, CA, where top medical device service leaders gathered once again and shared learnings and best practices on addressing the challenges they've faced in the industry.
Since January 14th, 2020, Microsoft no longer provides updates for Windows 7. In a statement from Microsoft, they explained how Windows 7 would receive up to 10 years of product support since its inception in 2009.
In today’s increasingly risky IT environment, cyber and ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent. All organizations are vulnerable to these attacks, and every organization has vulnerabilities in their IT protection plan.
A recent survey shows that 65% of small businesses fail to act following a cybersecurity incident. And almost half (47%) had suffered at least one cyber attack in the past year. Unfortunately, of the businesses that reported having a cyber attack, 44% said they "had been attacked two, three or four times."
Quest offers a variety of industry based compliance assessments evaluating clients networks, as well as overall IT security. Our technicians can ensure compliance in HIPAA and PCI regulations, through assessments, scans and remediation.
While medical imaging is not the primary focus of HIPAA or HITECH, it’s important that practitioners be wary of the issues associated with this type of Protected Health Information (PHI). Data breaches happen, and when they do, health care providers could find themselves in violation of HIPAA. So how can imaging centers adequately protect their practices and patients?
Ransomware is increasing at an alarming rate. According to a recent Health Imaging article, "This year, the ransomware market is projected to earn as much as $1 billion a year- a dramatic increase from only $24 million in 2016. Additionally, the $50 value per medical record vastly outweighs the value of other stolen information.
In today's technological world, businesses are requiring more comprehensive solutions to complex challenges. The professionals of Quest International’s OEM Services division are prepared to provide the full range of solutions to customers that enable them to meet their business goals.
We understand every business is different. Whether you are looking to outsource your IT partially, entirely or supplement your existing team and suppliers, Quest International is your trusted IT managed service partner.