MEDISISS In The News

More than 3,000 U.S. hospitals have adopted reprocessing as a standard of care. Among the list of facilities that have chosen to use reprocessing programs are many of the top 100 hospitals, as ranked by the U.S. News and World Report… Leading medical organizations also support the use of reprocessed devices, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses and American College of Surgeons. Reprocessing saves nearly 2.5 million pounds of medical waste from being sent to land-fills each year, and for a typical 300-bed hospital it reduces device purchase costs up to 50 percent with savings of $410 a bed. Third-party companies that have reprocessed millions of devices over the last 10 years have found no evidence, from any source, of an increased risk to patient safety.
“Reprocessing: What’s to Fear?” by Cheryl Schwanke. Executive Insight Magazine. May 2011, pg. 3-5.

… Hoag Hospital has saved nearly $1 million and diverted 20,000 pounds of unnecessary waste because of their sustainability efforts. In one year alone, from 2008-2009, Hoag doubled their savings with the addition of reprocessed harmonic scalpels to their inventory, which has allowed the hospital to begin preparations for a new campus in 2011.
“Medical Device Reprocessing: A New Way to Go Green.” Association of Medical Device Reprocessors, Vol. 5, Issue 2, pgs 43-46, March 4, 2011.

A panel of research experts from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine reviewed research on hospitals’ environmental practices and created a list of eco-friendly strategies that could be used in operating rooms. The reprocessing of single-use medical devices was one of the top five strategies that the panel agreed on.
“Going ‘Green’ May Cut Hospital Costs.” Health Day. US News and World Report. Feb. 21, 2011.

For many hospitals, the use of reprocessed devices is critical to their ability to sustain operations and deliver top quality care. In 2010, reprocessing programs helped hospitals save hundreds of millions of dollars, which could be reinvested in patient care enhancements such as hiring more nurses and purchasing much needed equipment.
“Anti-reprocessing Tactics are Anti-hospital Tactics.” By Lars Thording. Health Care Chronicles. DOTmed Business News, May 2011.

Reprocessing medical devices should be considered the “new normal” for supply chain professionals. The reason for this is that even if ObamaCare isn’t fully enacted, over the next few years, healthcare organizations will not be receiving increases in their third-party reimbursement, and therefore hospitals must continue to reduce their cost wherever feasible. Robert T. Yokl explains that when he entered the healthcare industry in the 1960s, very few medical devices were disposable. Hospitals would routinely reprocess medical instruments and supplies as a best practice. Over the next 50 years the industry slowly adopted disposable products as a way to make hospital jobs easier. Some disposable products, like syringes, made sense but thousands of other medical devices couldn’t be cost justified although they were still converted to be disposable. By not reprocessing products such as orthopedic drill bits, pulse oximeters, and heart monitors, hospital costs on medical devices have increased by 50 to 60 percent. In addition to this, hospitals have added gazillions of tons of medical waste to U.S. landfills over the years. Yokl suggests that hospitals look at their disposable products and find which ones would be practical and workable to reprocess as a way to save costs and divert medical waste.
“Old is New Again.” By Robert T. Yokl. The Journal of Healthcare Contracting. Jan. 12, 2011.

As more information is released about medical device reprocessing and its benefits, non-profit organizations, such as Practice Greenhealth and the American College of Cardiology, are encouraging hospitals to adopt reprocessing as a standard practice.
“Medical Device Reprocessing Gaining Traction in Hospitals.” By Sander Duncan. HealthPoint Capital, July 13, 2010.

The medical device reprocessing industry has safely reprocessed over 50 million devices and prevented over 10,000 tons of medical waste from entering landfills between 1997, when the reprocessing industry first arose, and 2007. In the U.S. in 2007, nearly 45% of hospitals had agreements with third-party reprocessing companies. In 2008 that number increased to 70% after the economic recession. This is because reprocessed devices typically cost 40-60% less than the original devices.
“Medical Device Reprocessing.” Practice Greenhealth- Greening the OR, 2011.

The following 5 green recommendations for surgical practices were identified and agreed on: operating room waste reduction and segregation, reprocessing of single-use medical devices, environmentally preferable purchasing, energy consumption management, and pharmaceutical waste management. These practices can provide significant benefits to the health care community and to the environment.
“Green Surgical Practices for Health Care.” By Gifty Kwakye, Gabriel A. Brat, Martin A. Makary. Archives of Surgery, February 2011.

One of the misconceptions about the reprocessing industry is that reprocessors recycle medical devices designated for single use based on determinations by regulators. In reality, devices are designated for single use by the original manufacturers, not by the FDA or any other regulator. The manufacturers may apply single-use designation for economic or marketing reasons, rather than for patient safety. Reprocessing companies cannot reprocess a single-use device unless they get clearance from the FDA. The FDA strictly regulates third-party single-use device reprocessing, based on rules that are even more thoroughgoing than those applied to the original manufacturer.
“Single-Use Device Reprocessor Addresses 10 Misconceptions of the Industry.” By Leigh Page. August 3, 2011. www.beckersasc.com

There is also a misconception that reprocessing single-use devices (SUD) is the same thing as reprocessing reusable devices. Reprocessing single-use devices is actually very different from reprocessing reusable devices. While SUD reprocessing is a highly regulated field, reprocessing reusable devices takes place in-house at many hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. These activities involved in reprocessing reusable devices are not regulated by the FDA and do have to meet the same standards set down for single-use devices.
“Single-Use Device Reprocessor Addresses 10 Misconceptions of the Industry.” By Leigh Page. August 3, 2011. www.beckersasc.com

More than 9 million single-use devices are being reprocessed each year…. Reprocessing has grown into a $250 million-a-year industry, and it’s estimated that 70% of hospitals partner with third-party reprocessors that restore devices so that they’re as safe and functional as when they were originally manufactured.
“Reprocessing Wars.” By Dan O’Connor. Outpatient Surgery Magazine pgs 23-27. May 2011

Reprocessing is among the most impactful sustainability initiatives employed by U.S. hospitals. If just one or two percent of all medical devices labeled by the manufacturer as single-use were reprocessed, the health care industry would save almost $2 billion dollars every year. Those billions of dollars could then be devoted to patient care, research, bringing in new treatments, and making healthcare more affordable.
“Hospitals Can Achieve ACO Savings with Reprocessed Devices.” By Daniel J. Vukelich. Hospital Impact. June 8, 2011.

Jesseye Arrambide, RN, BSN, CNOR, executive director at Oregon Outpatient Surgery Center and vice president and program chair of the Oregon Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, shares 10 ways surgery centers can save money on supplies and equipment.

1. Purchase refurbished or demo capital equipment.
2. Consign implants.
3. Look at shipping costs.
4. Consider generic implants.
5. Take advantage of distributor reward and rebate programs.
6. Review custom packs.
7. Post PAR levels.
8. Reprocess when possible. Ms. Arrambide says ASCs can recognize a 50 percent savings on equipment by reprocessing supplies with an FDA-approved reprocessing company.
9. Track expiration dates.
10. Post supply and case costs.

“10 Steps to Save on Surgery Center Supplies & Equipment” By Rachel Fields | Becker’s ASC Review, September 16, 2011