Praktijk & investering
From preventive maintenance to Full Service: how to choose a service model that matches how your laser or energy-based device is actually used.
A professional laser or energy-based device represents a significant investment. Regular maintenance helps keep its technical condition in check, but which approach suits your clinic: maintenance on request, a service contract, or Full Service?
A professional laser system uses advanced technology, but that doesn't mean it's maintenance-free or that every component lasts forever.
The comparison with a car makes sense here. A modern car is built to last for years, but still needs upkeep along the way. Tyres and brakes wear down, filters get replaced, and as the mileage climbs, other mechanical and electronic parts eventually need attention too. Lasers and other energy-based devices are no different.
Some components are clearly wear parts — lamps, lenses, certain filters. Others might not seem like consumables at first glance, but they don't have an unlimited lifespan either. Pumps, power supplies, electronic boards, cooling components, cables, and other electrical and mechanical parts are under constant strain during use.
That doesn't mean these parts fail on a fixed schedule. It does mean that, over the life of a professional system, it's normal for parts to need maintenance or eventually be replaced.
Looking at a system's age alone tells you relatively little. Two identical five-year-old lasers can be in very different technical condition. A system used for a handful of treatments a week has been under a very different load than one running a full treatment schedule five or six days a week.
Operating hours, the number of treatments, and how carefully a system and its handpieces are handled all affect wear on the equipment. The more intensively a system is used, the more important it becomes to check its technical condition regularly.
The simplest form of service is maintenance on request. The clinic decides for itself when maintenance is needed and gets in touch whenever a system needs checking or repair. Its advantage is flexibility: there's no service agreement, and the clinic decides when maintenance takes place.
For a system used only occasionally, this can be a perfectly good choice. One possible downside is that preventive maintenance is easier to put off. As long as a device seems to work fine, it's tempting to think: why bother having it checked? But the fact that a system runs smoothly today doesn't automatically mean every component is still in optimal condition — wear usually builds up gradually.
A second option is a service contract. Under this arrangement, Medi-Invest and the clinic agree that the system will be preventively serviced once a year. That makes maintenance a structural part of using the device, rather than something only considered once a problem arises.
During the annual service visit, the system is checked according to the relevant maintenance procedure. The exact work required varies by device — a Cynosure Vectus, for example, calls for different checks than a Lutronic Clarity II, PicoPlus, or any other laser or energy-based device.
The associated handpieces are also included free of charge in the annual check. A treatment platform is more than just the main unit: handpieces, cables, connections, cooling, and other components are also used intensively during treatments and deserve attention.
Alongside locking in annual preventive maintenance, the service contract offers a financial benefit. Material costs come with a fixed 10% discount under the service contract. This discount applies not only to materials needed during the annual service, but also to parts used during other service work over the course of the contract.
On top of that, maintenance costs carry a discount of 10% to 30%, depending on how many systems a clinic has under maintenance with Medi-Invest. For clinics with multiple lasers or energy-based devices, it can therefore be worthwhile to bring the equipment together under a single maintenance programme. The material discount always remains 10%.
A service contract is not insurance against every future fault. Even a well-maintained system can develop an unexpected technical fault. An electronic component can fail, a pump can break down after years of use, or a lamp can reach the end of its technical life.
Preventive maintenance isn't meant to guarantee a device will never break down again. Its purpose is to check the system's technical condition periodically, spot wear early where possible, and make sure parts that need attention get it. Just as an annual service on a car doesn't rule out something breaking down over the following year, the same is true for a laser system.
For clinics that want to do more than just structure their maintenance — that also want to make the cost of technical wear as predictable as possible — Medi-Invest offers a Full Service agreement for certain systems.
The main difference from a standard service contract lies in how parts are covered. Under a standard service contract, parts remain the clinic's responsibility, with a 10% material discount. Under Full Service, the cost of parts covered by the agreement is included.
That applies to wear parts like lamps and lenses too. Full Service also covers technical components such as pumps, filters, electronic boards, and other covered parts under the terms of the agreement — taking a large share of the technical cost risk off the table in advance.
This can be especially attractive for intensively used systems. A clinic gets a much clearer picture of what the technical running costs of a system will be over the year, without the replacement of a lamp, lens, or other covered technical part suddenly turning into a significant extra expense.
Full Service doesn't mean literally every kind of damage is covered without limit. Damage caused by misuse, an accident, or external physical damage isn't automatically covered by the agreement — think of a fibre damaged through incorrect use, or physical damage to a screen.
The distinction is straightforward: Full Service is designed to cover normal technical maintenance, wear, and the failure of covered technical components. It isn't insurance against damage caused by external factors or improper use. Exact coverage depends on the terms of the specific Full Service agreement.
There's no single form of maintenance that's automatically the best choice for every clinic. With maintenance on request, the clinic keeps maximum flexibility, and maintenance and repairs are carried out as needed, at standard rates.
With a service contract, annual preventive maintenance is locked in structurally. The clinic also receives a 10% discount on material costs and, depending on the number of systems, a 10% to 30% discount on maintenance costs. Handpieces are also included free of charge in the annual check.
Full Service goes a step further, covering a large share of the risk of unexpected technical costs. Normal wear and covered parts — including lamps and lenses, for example — are then included under the terms of the agreement.
Whichever service model a clinic chooses, day-to-day handling of the system still matters. Professional maintenance can't fully make up for careless use. Cables and fibres need to be handled with care, handpieces need to be protected from drops, and ventilation and filters need to be maintained as instructed.
It's also wise to report anomalies or recurring error messages promptly. A device that can still perform treatments isn't necessarily working exactly as it should. Small changes are often precisely the reason to have a system checked.
Good maintenance is therefore a partnership between the clinic and the technical service organisation: the user takes good day-to-day care of the device, and the service technician periodically checks its technical condition.
When buying a laser, it's understandable to focus mainly on things like power, treatment indications, purchase price, and clinical results. But a professional system isn't bought for a few months — it needs to be part of a clinic's daily operations for years to come.
That's why it's worth factoring service, maintenance, and potential wear into the total investment. A clinic that performs few treatments may well conclude that maintenance on request is sufficient. A practice with several intensively used systems may place real value on planned annual maintenance and the discounts of a service contract. And for a clinic that wants technical costs to be as predictable as possible, Full Service can be an attractive option.
Ultimately, good service isn't just about repairing a device once it's down. It's about supporting a system as well as possible throughout its entire technical lifespan.
Frequently asked questions
With maintenance on request, the clinic plans maintenance and repairs itself at standard rates. With a service contract, annual preventive maintenance is agreed in advance, along with discounts on maintenance and materials.
The material discount is always 10%. Maintenance costs carry a discount of 10% to 30%, depending on how many systems are under maintenance with Medi-Invest.
Yes. During the annual service under a service contract, the associated handpieces are included free of charge in the check.
Under the terms of Full Service, maintenance and covered technical parts are included, including wear parts such as lamps and lenses. Covered components such as pumps, filters, and electronic boards can also fall under this.
No, damage from incorrect or careless use, and certain types of external physical damage, aren't automatically covered by Full Service — think of a fibre damaged through misuse or physical damage to a screen. Exact coverage follows from the agreement.
We're happy to look together at which form of maintenance fits your equipment, usage intensity, and desired cost predictability.
