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Healthcare Equipment Financing: Loan Options for Medical Practices and Healthcare Systems
Last updated: September 2026
Key Takeaways
- Medical equipment financing preserves cash flow. Spreading costs over time — rather than making large upfront purchases — lets practices and health systems keep working capital where it belongs: in operations.
- Multiple loan structures exist for a reason. SBA 7(a) and 504 loans, equipment loans, venture debt and healthcare-specific financing each serve different organizational profiles and growth goals. The right fit depends on your stage, ownership structure and how you plan to use the capital.
- Technology moves fast — your financing should too. Flexible financing allows healthcare providers to upgrade MRI machines, imaging systems, surgical tools and patient monitoring equipment as technology evolves, without being locked into outdated assets.
- Customers Bank has dedicated teams across every segment of healthcare. From skilled nursing and senior housing to digital health startups, nonprofit hospitals and growing private practices, we have specialists who understand your business, not just your loan.
Keeping a medical practice or health system equipped with current technology is not optional; it directly affects patient outcomes, operational efficiency and competitive positioning. But the cost of medical equipment, from MRI machines and digital imaging systems to surgical robotics and patient monitoring technology, can be significant. Financing that equipment strategically means you don’t have to choose between staying current and staying solvent.
Here’s how healthcare equipment financing works, which loan structures tend to fit which situations, and how Customers Bank is organized to serve you.
What is healthcare equipment financing?
Healthcare equipment financing is a lending arrangement that allows medical practices and healthcare organizations to acquire the equipment they need without paying the full cost upfront. Rather than depleting working capital on a single large purchase, providers spread the cost over time through a structured loan or lease, preserving liquidity while keeping operations fully equipped.
The range of equipment that qualifies is broad. A dental practice financing a new CT imaging system, a physical therapy group upgrading its rehabilitation equipment, a hospital replacing aging patient monitoring technology; these are all common use cases. Financing can also be applied to:
- surgical robotics and tools
- laboratory and pathology systems
- infusion and IV equipment
- electronic health record (EHR)
- health IT infrastructure
- rehabilitation technology
If it’s essential to delivering care, it can typically be financed.
Why Healthcare Providers Finance Equipment
The case for financing medical equipment rather than purchasing outright comes down to three things: cash flow, flexibility and access to technology.
- Cash flow preservation. Large upfront equipment purchases pull working capital away from operations: staffing, supplies and the day-to-day costs of running a practice or facility. Financing spreads that cost over time, keeping liquidity where it’s most useful.
- Technology flexibility. Healthcare technology evolves quickly. Financing gives providers the ability to upgrade or replace equipment as better options become available, rather than being tied to an asset that may become obsolete before it’s fully paid off.
- Balance sheet management. For growing practices and health systems, maintaining a clean balance sheet while continuing to invest in infrastructure is a strategic priority. The right financing structure supports that goal.
Leasing vs Owning
Once you’ve decided to finance equipment rather than pay out of pocket, the next decision is how to finance it.
Neither leasing nor owning is universally better. The right choice depends on the type of equipment, how quickly it’s likely to become obsolete, your organization’s tax situation and your priorities around ownership and cash flow. The table below outlines the key considerations.
| Consideration | Leasing | Owning |
| Upfront cost | Low to none — most leases require little or no down payment | Typically requires a down payment, often 10–20% |
| Monthly payments | Generally lower than a purchase loan for equivalent equipment | Higher monthly payments, but payments end at payoff |
| Equipment ownership | Equipment is owned by the lessor; you return or buy it at end of term | You own the equipment outright from day one |
| Long-term total cost | Higher over time — you pay for use without building equity | Lower over the asset’s full life once the loan is paid off |
| Balance sheet impact | Operating leases may carry different balance sheet treatment — consult your accountant | Equipment appears as an asset (and the loan as a liability) on your balance sheet |
| Tax treatment | Lease payments may be deductible as an operating expense | Purchased equipment may qualify for Section 179 expensing or bonus depreciation — consult a tax advisor |
| Technology flexibility | High — easier to upgrade or replace equipment at end of term | Lower — you own the asset and bear the cost of replacing it |
| Obsolescence risk | Lower — risk of outdated equipment stays largely with the lessor | Higher — you own the equipment through its full useful life, including if it becomes outdated |
| Maintenance responsibility | Varies by lease structure; some agreements include maintenance | Owner is responsible for all maintenance and repairs |
| Customization | Limited — modifications may not be permitted on leased equipment | Full flexibility to modify or integrate equipment as needed |
| Best for | Fast-evolving technology (imaging, diagnostic systems, health IT) | Durable, long-life equipment where ownership builds long-term value |
Note: Tax treatment varies based on lease structure, your organization’s tax status and applicable law. Consult a qualified tax advisor before making financing decisions based on tax considerations.
Loan Options for Healthcare Equipment Financing
There’s no single best structure for medical equipment financing. Iit depends on the type of organization, the size of the purchase and how the capital will be used. Here are the primary options we offer at Customers Bank.
- SBA 7(a) & SBA 504 Loans For growing healthcare practices, SBA loans are among the most flexible and cost-effective financing tools available. Our Small Business Banking team offers both the 7(a) and 504 programs, which can be applied to general working capital, equipment purchases and facility expansion or modernization.
- Traditional Commercial Loans for Healthcare Practices: Our Regional Commercial Banking teams serve practices and individual providers through teams dedicated to the Mid-Atlantic and the West Coast specifically California and Nevada.
- Venture Debt For institutionally-backed healthcare companies — digital health platforms, medtech startups, medical device companies and life sciences businesses — venture debt provides growth capital without the dilution that comes with another equity round. Our Tech & Venture team works with VC- and PE-backed healthcare and digital health companies nationwide, structuring debt facilities that complement existing equity financing. This is a strong option for companies that need capital to fund clinical trials, expand commercial operations, scale a team or acquire equipment ahead of their next equity raise without giving up additional ownership to do it.
- Healthcare Financing: For operators and owners of traditional skilled nursing and rehabilitation care facilities and senior housing, our dedicated Healthcare Financial Services team delivers purpose-built financing solutions: term loans, CapEx lines and loans and revolving lines of credit to support acquisitions, construction, recapitalization and ongoing capital needs. This team works specifically in the senior living space (skilled nursing, assisted living, senior housing and retirement communities), and understands the operational and regulatory realities that shape financing decisions in this segment.
- Tax Exempt Financing Options for Nonprofit Hospitals and Municipal Healthcare Organizations: Nonprofit hospitals and municipal healthcare organizations have distinct financing needs and access to capital structures that for-profit entities don’t. Our Public Finance team helps these organizations access cost-effective capital to grow, modernize and better serve their communities while navigating the complexity of tax-exempt financing. If you’re a nonprofit health system or public healthcare entity, this is the team built for you.
What to Consider Before Choosing a Structure
The right financing option depends on your answers to a few key questions:
- What type of organization are you? A solo medical practice, a growing physician group, a skilled nursing operator, a venture-backed medtech company and a nonprofit hospital all have different access to capital and different documentation requirements — and different Customers Bank teams ready to help.
- What are you financing? Equipment-only transactions have different optimal structures than transactions that involve real estate, practice acquisition, construction or working capital.
- What is your growth trajectory? Organizations scaling quickly — adding locations, entering new markets or commercializing a product — may benefit from venture debt or a customized healthcare financing facility. Established cash-flow-positive practices may find SBA or equipment loans more efficient.
- What does your existing capital stack look like? If you’re already backed by VC or PE investors, venture debt may extend your runway without further dilution. If you’re a profitable independent practice, an SBA 7(a) or traditional commercial loan is likely the cleaner path.
Talk to Our Experts
Customers Bank has deep experience across the healthcare sector from independent medical practices and dental offices to medtech startups, digital health companies, skilled nursing operators and nonprofit health systems. Our specialists work directly with organizations to understand their situation and identify the financing structure that actually fits. Reach out to our specialists to learn more about our solutions, and how we can accelerate your success.