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Hospitals saved over $465 million in 2023 using reprocessed single-use devices

by Gus Iversen, Editor in Chief | October 21, 2024
Business Affairs
A recent survey by the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) found that hospitals and surgical centers saved over $465 million (€426 million) and avoided 98 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 by using regulated, reprocessed single-use medical devices.

The findings indicate growing adoption of reprocessed devices, which are sterilized and inspected for safe reuse, such as lateral transfer mats, pulse oximeters, and electrophysiology catheters.

In 2023, nearly 12,000 hospitals and surgical centers opted for reprocessed devices, diverting 23.7 million pounds of medical waste from landfills. These devices, which undergo thorough cleaning, disinfection, and labeling, are then returned to service in healthcare settings. A total of 30.9 million reprocessed devices were purchased by healthcare facilities during the year.

The greenhouse gas emissions avoided through this practice equated to the emissions produced by approximately 5 million gallons of gasoline, or about 7.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of fuel. The use of reprocessed devices was widespread, with every U.S. health system — except Veterans Affairs hospitals —and healthcare institutions in 14 other countries participating. The devices are also utilized in 80 U.S. military institutions, including those that serve the president.

“AMDR members partner with hospitals to dramatically reduce cost, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions by using regulated, reprocessed SUDs,” said Daniel J. Vukelich, president and CEO, Association of Medical Device Reprocessors. “While these numbers are record-setting and robust, they represent only a small fraction of the reprocessed devices that hospitals could use.”

The survey's data was supported by AMDR's greenhouse gas emissions calculator. This tool employs life cycle assessments to compare the environmental impact of reprocessed versus virgin devices, drawing from peer-reviewed studies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator.

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