November 26, 2011
by Lars Thording , Senior Director of Public Affair, Stryker Sustainability Solutions
In September, Ethicon-Endo Surgery (EES) announced plans to acquire medical device reprocessor SterilMed. Meanwhile, Stryker Corporation acquired the nation’s largest third-party reprocessor, formerly Ascent Healthcare Solutions, in January 2010. So what’s behind the trend and what does it mean for hospitals?…Value for Hospitals
Hospitals are saving hundreds of millions of dollars each year through reprocessing programs; for most of them, this enables the reallocation of scarce financial resources to initiatives — such as hiring more nurses or purchasing much-needed equipment — that enhance patient care.…The Next Chapter
While the rapid growth of the reprocessing industry has been impressive, there’s more work to be done. AMDR estimates that if just 1 or 2 percent of all medical devices labeled “single-use” by the manufacturer were reprocessed, the health care industry would save almost $2 billion each year. Imagine what $2 billion could do for the future of the health care industry.