I am one of the O.R. Purchasing managers with three Hospitals located in Rochester, NY. Recently, I was informed by a former ForTec medical employee that our urology department was overcharged thousands of dollars for phony laser fibers for the treatment of BPH.
Our urology department has been renting a 980 Diode Laser from ForTec Medical during the past year and we have always used a 980nm side firing fiber. Unfortunately, the side firing fiber was not very effective and it burned many of our hospital owned telescopes.
Fortec Medical insisted that a new "STRAIGHT FIRING" fiber was on the horizon and it would eliminate all of our problems. When the fiber came out nearly 9 months ago, we began using what they called a "EF-1000" fiber for the treatment of BPH. The charge was the same as a regular side firing fiber - $900 for each fiber used.
Apparentely, there was nothing special about this so called "EF-1000" fiber.in fact, it was simply a "REFURBISHED" 1000 micron Holmium Fiber that they normally charge $150 for.in many cases, ForTec does not charge their customers for the Holmium fibers because they are used over and over again.
Basically, our urology department was over charged $750 for every phony EF-1000 fiber they provided to our surgeons. Just 10 rentals at $750 = $7,500 and obviously that adds up very quickly for a nice profit.
I am sure they have done this to many other hospitals throughout the United States. If you rent from this company, I would suggest going through your records to see if there is a charge for a "EF-1000" fiber. If there is, you have been scammed!
Another disturbing fact that was brought to my attention -
Recently, I was contacted by a hospital in the Syracuse area regarding ForTec's training policies. Apparentely, ForTec has been hiring unqualified candidates off the street and immediately throwing them into the O.R. Without proper HIPAA training. If you are currently renting from ForTec Medical, I strongly suggest that you ask the technician for credentials (Laser Certification, PPD skin test etc.)
Lastly, it has been rumoured that ForTec Medical and AMS Laserscope parted ways some time ago. Apparentely, AMS would not sell the HPS Greenlight laser to ForTec, which is in high demand these days.
ForTec managed to get their hands on a HPS laser through a surgeon, and continued to rent the laser all over the United States for many months past the preventative maintenance due date. I understand that the only qualified organization to perform PM's on this particular laser is laserscope. ForTec continued to rent this laser for up to 9 months without the proper PM checks. Last time I checked, this was surgery... Not Durand's Rent-All!
Please use caution when using this company!
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