Insight · Equipment
Equipment leasing: what orthopaedic practices should expect
The clauses that matter in a clinical equipment lease — and the ones that cost practices their theatre lists.
An orthopaedic practice should check these points before signing a clinical equipment lease.
Uptime is the product
A clinical equipment lease should commit the owner to defined response times, scheduled preventive maintenance and a recovery commitment. Ask what happens when a tower fails an hour before the first list. If the answer is "best endeavours", keep negotiating.
Service windows and your clinical schedule
Servicing should respect the theatre list. A lease should name when servicing occurs, who coordinates it and what notice is given.
End-of-term, decided at the beginning
A lease should state the machine's working life, what happens when that life ends and who funds what comes next.
Plain language
A lease should be clear about what is included, what costs extra, who bears what risk and who to call. Treat opacity in a lease as a signal.
What this means for you
If you are weighing an equipment lease
Ask for defined response times, a scheduling commitment that respects your lists, and an end-of-term pathway named at signing.
If you hold equipment as an investment
Leases with credible uptime commitments and funded maintenance retain operators and renew on schedule.
General commentary only — not financial, legal or investment advice. Read our Terms & Disclaimer. Next in this series: what good facility operations do for asset value.