In my professional experience, most doctors looking to purchase a decompression table fall into two categories:
1) The best therapeutic table for the money or
2) The fanciest-looking table to impress your clients.
Image via PHS Chiropractic |
If you are looking for a fancy looking table, there are options. Fancy-looking tables with lots of bells and whistles generally come with a pretty hefty price tag attached. They can cost up to five times the price to maintain and repair, and generally don’t do half of what some of the newer technologies do. Most chiropractors would benefit most from the best table for their money. One that will give them the best clinical results, last the longest and have the fewest amount of repairs throughout its lifetime.
Here are six things to consider when shopping for a decompression table:
Reliability
Similar to a car shopping experience, the priciest model with all the frills might look great, but it also has many more moving parts with a greater opportunity for breakdowns and repairs. When it comes to a decompression table, repairs cost money, time away from patient care and and lost revenue. A simpler table with fewer moving parts can be less expensive up front and will cost less over time as well.
Space
Today’s clinics are looking for the most efficient use of space. Doctors are not just downsizing their clinics, but they are also looking to get as much equipment as possible in the least amount of space. From a physical space standpoint, the right table is one that’s small enough to fit in your space but strong enough to support larger patients.
Cost
What’s your budget? “Wow factor” tables with all the frills can cost upwards to $100,000, while excellent decompression tables that are small, mobile, and reliable yet tough enough to support larger patients start at $14,000. Enter the DOC Decompression table.
New or used?
You may think that purchasing a fancy, used table might be a good compromise. However, consider this: any decompression table typically has a 10- to 15-year lifespan. If you’re spending $15,000 - $25,000 to buy an 8-year-old, used high-end table, what are you really paying for? At that point in its lifespan, a decompression table may need a major overhaul in its computers, software and more. Compare that to a new table that you could buy for the same price or less and rely on for the next 10 to 15 years.
Flexible features
The DOC decompression table treats patients in three dimensions with a nearly unlimited number of patient positions including flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation, as opposed to one-dimensional tables that only allow you to work on patients lying on their backs with knees up.
Tax breaks
If you buy a decompression table before the end of the year, you may qualify for up to a $5,000 Income Tax Credit. Consult your tax advisor to determine if this purchase qualifies you for the Section 44 tax credit and the Section 179 deduction. Talk to your tax advisor for more details.
If you’re adding decompression to your practice or simply need to upgrade your table, consider your options. A new decompression table isn’t just an investment for today, but for the next 10 to 15 years. Take into account all the costs over your product’s lifespan, as well as the effectiveness and reliability you need for your day-to-day practice.
