IDEXX-DR™ 1417 Environmental Benefits
Digital Radiography System for companion animals

Full Testimonial
by Kathy Dobesh, DVM and Mike Dobesh, DVM

“Purchasing the IDEXX Digital Radiography System seemed like a very big decision at the time. The city of Santa Fe mandated disposal of all fixer, developer and water that went through our x-ray processor as hazardous waste.

We had multiple inspections by the environmental department and the City of Santa Fe. It was hard to argue with them when we looked at the brown stains on our counters and sink in the radiology room. With disposal costs of $300 a week, we had to consider alternatives. When all hard costs including chemicals, film and disposal were totaled, we calculated a two-year payback on the system. Soon after we installed the system, we realized the benefits were far greater than ever imagined.

First, having no chemicals to handle, store or dispose of has been a huge relief. The x-ray room now looks and smells clean. Our technicians are absolutely thrilled to not have exposure to the chemicals, especially when cleaning the processor. The city and environmental department can no longer be concerned about our x-ray chemicals. We don’t have to schedule or pay for pickups for the chemicals and there are no more manifests to sign, file and produce for inspectors. Our practice is truly cleaner and greener than ever before.

Secondly, we take far fewer x-rays per animal than we did before. The safety benefits are greatly appreciated by everyone who takes radiographs in the hospital. In the past, an x-ray that was too light or too dark left you with two choices: read a bad x-ray or send the technician and the animal back to get another dose of radiation. And—not having to drag that big chow back in the x-ray room makes everyone appreciate the system!

Third, eliminating the clutter and storage hassle of all those films has been a huge benefit to the practice. Organizing, filing and retrieving films seemed like a full-time job. Digging through piles of unfiled films and searching for those missing in action is now a thing of the past. Also, no one missed standing at the front desk and arguing with a client about who owns the film—now we simply hand them a CD.

Finally, the general excitement created by implementing the new technology was marvelous for our practice. While the benefits of this cannot easily be calculated, they are certainly real and substantial. With factors such as technician time savings, additional animals being radiographed, and improved practice morale on top of hard cost savings, the payback period on the IDEXX Digital Radiography System is closer to one year.”