DotMedNews: Responsible Medical Device Strategies Can Help Curb Rising Cost of Health Care (July 2010):
As the U.S. health care overhaul unfolds, hospitals are under increased pressure to cut costs while maintaining patient care. During this time of change, hospitals must be looking for innovative supply chain strategies that reduce costs and optimize resources in order to support quality care.
Evaluating responsible medical device strategies is one possible solution. Congress is looking at a reform bill to give hospitals more leverage to negotiate price with medical device manufacturers. However, legislation will take time. One medical device solution that offers immediate cost savings with no capital investment is the purchase of reprocessed “single-use” devices (SUD)s. Reprocessing programs are currently employed by more than 50 percent of U.S. hospitals and they have become proven solutions for addressing medical, economic and environmental responsibilities without compromising safety or efficacy.