If you run a doctor's office in Ohio, it's possible you're currently in a waste management contract or are thinking about joining one in order to deal with all your generated medical waste. If that's the case, there are some very important things you need to know first about both these contracts and their renewal dates.
What Your Ohio Doctor's Office Needs to Know about Waste Management Contracts and Their Renewal Dates
A Medical Waste Contract Is Not Your Only Option
The first important point is that contracts, while quite common in the medical waste disposal industry, are not your only option. It is entirely possible to work with an Ohio-based medical waste disposal company that offers a waste management service agreement instead.
With this second document, you're not obligated to pay a set monthly fee. Rather, you only pay for every medical waste pickup you use in that month. That is, you pay for what you use. With a service agreement, you're also not obligated to pay early termination fees, and you're free to change medical waste management companies if you're unhappy with the terms or level of service you're receiving.
A Medical Waste Contract Can Renew Automatically
One of the biggest issues with these kinds of contracts is that they can automatically renew. If your Ohio doctor's office is currently in a contract and is not fully knowledgeable about the terms of that renewal date, you could inadvertently end up agreeing to several more years under that contract.
Remember, these contracts are legally binding documents. Even if you're unhappy with the level of service you're receiving or the price you're paying, you will often need to pay a hefty termination fee to extricate yourself from the contract.
This is why it's so crucial you're on top of your renewal date if you want out. Not being diligent about this could lead to automatic renewal, which could lead to lots of needlessly lost funds.
Know the Terms of Your Renewal Window
When it comes to these medical contracts, it's not enough to simply know a renewal date exists. You must know the specifics of your actual date. Figuring this out is not something you should leave to the last minute!
If you miss canceling within that renewal window, it'll be too late, and you'll be contractually obligated to keep paying into your contract—sometimes for upwards of five more years.
Many contracts will state you can't cancel until six months before your renewal date, but you also must give at least sixty days of notice before canceling. This essentially means you have a four-month window in which to cancel.
Say, for example, your contract is set to renew July 1. That means you can tell the company you want to cancel from January to April. Any earlier than January is too early, and any time in May or June would be too late, and you'd be subject to automatic renewal.
Remember, always check the terms of your actual contract for your specific renewal dates and terms.
Medical Waste Disposal Cost: How Much Could a Waste Management Contract Cost Me?
The terms of every contract vary with the issuing company, so the following numbers are for illustrative purposes only. However, they demonstrate what the significant financial difference can be under a contract and under an agreement.
In this example, an Ohio-based doctor's office needs one medical waste pick up consisting of one box every month.
Price Paid after One Month
-Contract: $100-$500
-Service Agreement: $50
-Savings with a Service Agreement: $50 to $450
Price Paid after One Year
-Contract: $1,200-$6,000
-Service Agreement: $600
-Savings with a Service Agreement: $600 to $5,400
Price Paid after Five Years
-Contract: $6,000-$30,000
-Service Agreement: $3,000
-Savings with a Service Agreement: $3,000 to $27,000
Many doctors' offices sign up for these contracts thinking they're the norm. However, if your renewal date is approaching, make sure you know you have other options, and also make sure you've thoroughly reviewed the numbers specific to your contact and medical waste services company.
After looking at how much you've actually put into your contract, you might be shocked to learn you can get a comparable level of service under a service agreement for a lot less money!
Reach Out to Other Medical Waste Disposal Companies
If you know you're currently under contract and are starting to reconsider your options, it's a great time to reach out to the local Ohio companies that could potentially handle your medical waste removal.
Making contact with these companies offers two big benefits. One, you learn what your options are for the disposal of medical waste—in terms of service level and price. Two, that company can agree to remind you when you're in your contract cancellation window. This helps ensure you know exactly when to get out of your contract, if that's the way your doctor's office chooses to proceed.
For more information about why your Ohio doctor's office should be on top of your contract renewal date or to set up a reminder when your contract renewal window comes up, feel free to contact a representative of MCF Environmental Services today!
