Sustainability: Greening the OR Reduces Waste
Posted on January 9th, 2014
“It costs the hospital 10 times more to haul away one bag of medical waste that has to be specially handled and treated compared with clear bag waste. If the waste is properly segregated up front, they have significant savings out the back door,” she says.  Greening the OR targets other areas for cost-savings and waste-reduction, including Single-use device reprocessing…. Read the full article here
 
AMDR President Dan Vukelich to speak at Architecture, Capital Equipment and Engineering (ACE) Summit and Reverse Expo February 3, 2014 in New Orleans
Posted on January 13th, 2014
AMDR is proud to announce that President Dan Vukelich will be presenting alongside Seema Wadhwa, Director of Sustainability at Inova Health at the 2014 ACE Summit and Reverse Expo in New Orleans, LA.  Mr. Vukelich and Ms. Wadhwa will be presenting their topic “Reduce Reuse Reprocess” which will discuss the FDA-regulated reprocessing programs that offer hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers the opportunity to improve patient care, reduce costs and enhance their sustainability initiatives by safely reusing medical devices labeled for “single use….”
 
Practice Greenhealth Releases Sustainability Benchmark Report 
Posted on January 16th, 2014
Single-Use Device (SUD) Reprocessing: Savings from diverted disposal costs and purchasing reprocessed devices is reported in Table 22. Hospitals in the data set saved over $3 million dollars from SUD reprocessing and prevented 680 tons of waste from going into solid waste or RMW disposal. On average, hospitals saved $184 per staffed bed. Smaller hospitals tended to save more per bed, per patient day and per OR.
Members can log in and download the full report including tables here
 
Waste not, want not, will reprocessing remain efficient in the future?
Posted on January 22nd, 2014
DotMed Healthcare Business News reports that to the average patient, reusing surgical tools like colonoscopy biopsy forceps seems like the last thing hospitals should do. In reality, however,  reprocessing is helping hospitals save millions of dollars and is forecast for robust growth, averaging almost nine percent a year, according to market research firm Millennium Research Group…. Read the full article here
 
Finding Success with Green Procurement in Healthcare
Posted on January 24th, 2014
Healthcare Global reports that there is one sustainability initiative that truly defines “green procurement.” It is single-use medical device (SUD) reprocessing, which allows hospitals to reduce the cost of purchasing select medical devices and decrease waste from entering the landfill, all without compromising the quality of care…. Read the full article here
 
Greening Healthcare: Q&A with Practice Greenhealth Executive Director
Posted on January 28th, 2014
DotMed Business News reports that doing a little bit of homework and intelligently greening your health care offerings can have a positive impact on your bottom line. In an interview with Practice Greenhealth’s executive director, Laura Wenger, more is discussed about the ways in which hospitals and healthcare systems are going “green….
… They accomplished that by renovating facilities, switching to LED lighting, and other various energy initiatives.  Our hospitals also saved $18.3 million by utilizing reprocessing services for both invasive and non-invasive products. The reprocessors take them back and clean, sterilize and sell back to facilities at 50 percent of cost on average of what the purchase price would be for the same OEM device. This practice also diverted 330 tons of waste…. Read the full article here
 
Greening the OR Reduces Waste by Raising Awareness
Posted on January 29th, 2014
Health Facilities Management reports that “It costs the hospital 10 times more to haul away one bag of medical waste that has to be specially handled and treated compared with clear bag waste. If the waste is properly segregated up front, they have significant savings out the back door,” she says.
Greening the OR targets other areas for cost-savings and waste-reduction, including:
Single-use device reprocessing… Read the full article here
 
OR Nurse, The Business Case for Sustainability in Surgery
Posted on January 30th, 2014
The collection of FDA-approved, single-use devices (SUDs) for reprocessing is another strategy to reduce waste. Most major reprocessing vendors provide free collection services. The Government Accountability Office has validated that reprocessed SUDs pose no greater risk to patient safety than devices from original equipment manufacturers. Discounts of more than 50% provide financial savings while still ensuring quality and protecting patient safety. SUD collection and reprocessing could save hospitals more than $540 million each year or nearly $2.7 billion over 5 years. Read the Full Story
 
Healthier healthcare program grows to 837 hospitals
Posted on January 31st, 2014
Plastics today reports that the Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI), which was launched in 2010 by twelve hospital systems, is rapidly growing as healthcare organizations buy into the goals to boost sustainability, improve purchasing practices, and lower energy costs. … Specific results included….
About $32 million in savings resulted from single-use medical device reprocessing… Read Full Story
 
AMDR President Dan Vukelich to present Webinar as a part of Practice Greenhealth’s Greening the OR Series: Single Use Device Reprocessing – Going Green Saves Green
Posted on February 14th, 2014
This webinar aims to help you understand how single-use device reprocessing has become an essential component to hospitals sustainability programs as they attempt to do more with less… For details and registration see here
 
Planning for the Long Term: Why Hospital CFOs Should Consider Green Strategies
Posted on February 20th, 2014
… Hospitals can find easy “win-win” situations without much capital investment. One such situation is medical device reprocessing — in which an outside vendor disassembles, cleans, remanufactures, tests and sterilizes single-use devices like ultrasonic scalpels, and hospitals buy back the reprocessed device at a cheaper rate. It reduces landfill waste and the “high costs” associated with red bag waste, he says…. Read the Full Story
 
Greening the Operating Room through Reprocessing
Posted on March 13th, 2014
Implementing a reprocessing program for their medical devices, both Yale-New Haven and Johns Hopkins reduce waste and achieve cost savings by sending products such as laparoscopic instruments to Stryker Sustainability Solutions and the company reprocesses them and sells them back to the hospital for about half the price…. View the full story here
 
Stryker Sustainability Solutions Brings Record-Setting $255 Million In Reprocessing Savings To U.S. Hospitals
Posted on March 31st, 2014
Growth of Stryker Sustainability Solutions’ single-use medical device reprocessing and remanufacturing services produced a record-setting $255 million in supply cost savings for its more than 2,500 hospital and health system customers in 2013. “We’re seeing growing interest in reprocessing in two ways: 1) new health systems considering reprocessing that haven’t done it before and, 2) among the many hospitals who already are reprocessing, they are focused on growing the cost-savings that result from reprocessing…” said Brian White, President, Stryker Sustainability Solutions. “Together, with our customers, we’re also finding ways to expand our portfolio of devices to maximize hospital cost-savings and assist with sustainability efforts….Read the Full Story
 
Hospitals Take Steps to Set Healthy Examples for Patients
Posted on April 3rd, 2014
…The health care system will also see fiscal improvements from hospitals that practice conservation: A 2012 study by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit health care research organization, calculated that the nation’s medical care costs would be reduced by $15 billion over 10 years if all hospitals switched to energy-efficient systems; reprocessed and reused operating room supplies; and reduced medical waste through more recycling. Read the full story here
 
The Easiest Way for ASCs to Save Today: Sterile Reprocessing Single-Use Devices
Posted on April 4th, 2014
…Two major players in the market include MEDISISS and Stryker Sustainability Solutions, both of which ASD Management uses in its centers. “These companies receive the used devices, reprocess them and repurpose them to a safe, like-new condition,” says Vice President, Business Development at ASD Management Charles Dailey. “There are high quality controls to support their sterility. Then the devices are returned with a very fast turnaround.” “Reprocessing can generate substantial savings,” says Mr. Dailey. “One of our facilities in Florida saved $38,000 in 2013 just from their reprocessing program. Read the full article here
 
AMDR PRESS RELEASE: The Association of Medical Device Reprocessors Welcomes New Members Medline ReNewal and Vanguard
Posted on April 11, 2014
The Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR), the global trade association representing the interests of the third-party medical device reprocessing industry, today announces the addition of Medline ReNewal and Vanguard AG to its membership roster.  Medline ReNewal and Vanguard join Stryker Sustainability Solutions as AMDR members.  The growth in AMDR’s domestic and international membership base is representative of the significant growth the reprocessing industry has experienced in recent years due, in part, to the cost-savings potential reprocessing delivers to hospitals. By participating in AMDR, member companies are demonstrating a collaborative commitment to expand reprocessing services to bring increased value to national and international hospitals without sacrificing care quality.  Full release.
 
Medline Reveals How Health Systems Reduce Waste, Maintain Quality and Achieve Millions in Savings
Posted April 23, 2014, Sustainability, Quality, Value – Can Healthcare Have It All?
…While the opportunities to go green are increasingly available, too many are tied to the issues of cost, adoption and quality of care. “A sustainability solution is not realistic if it doesn’t take into account the burgeoning issues of healthcare reform,” says Frank Czajka, president of Medline Industries, Inc.’s ReNewal reprocessing division. “It also requires ongoing staff education.” Read full story here
 
Purchasing and Sustainability: How Hospitals Weigh Going Green
Posted on April 25, 2014
…Increasing efficiency increases the bottom line and sustainability. Top priorities: energy savings and purchasing preferences, reduced packaging, re-usability and reprocessing of medical devices…
 
Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (MD H2E) Highlights Reprocessing Savings
Posted on May 2, 2014
Maryland hospitals have a lot to be proud of.   H2E’s Sustainable Victories publication highlights Johns Hopkins Bayview for increasing medical device reprocessing savings 31 percent and diverting approximately 7,000 pounds of waste from landfills.  Click here for more from MD H2E.
 
Dan Vukelich To Speak At CEDEST Today
Posted May 15, 2014
Dan Vukelich will be speaking today, May 15, at CEDEST in Cartagena, Spain, “Reprocessing Single-Use Medical Devices: Experience in the U.S.”
 
Health Without Harm – Prescriptions For The Heathcare Industry’s Ills
Posted May 22, 2014
…At Mills-Peninsula and other hospitals around the country, administrators are looking to reprocessing companies to take used products—often catheters, surgical instruments, drills, bits and blades—and remanufacture them to make them “new” again. The items are cleaned and sterilized (sharpened if necessary), then returned to the hospital ready to be used again. This is a controversial option since some have raised concerns about the safety of reusing medical devices, but Lee said it is a great way to reduce unnecessary waste.
 
American Society For Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Releases Sustainability Report, Cites Reprocessing
Posted on June 5, 2014
Earlier this week, FierceHealthFinance published a story on bolstering hospital finances through green initiatives, in which they cited a new ‘green’ guide released by the American Hospital Association (AHA). The report lists medical device reprocessing as an effective supply chain solution to help hospitals become more sustainable (p. 19)….Read the full Sustainability Report here
 
Healthier Hospitals Initiative’s 2013 Milestone Report Shows Sustainability Trends Catching on Among U.S. Hospitals
Posted on August 7, 2014
The report notes continued support for reprocessing: Hospitals continued to move away from disposing of medical devices after one use. More than $45 million was saved as a result of single-use medical device reprocessing, a 33 percent increase in 2012…. To learn more about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, visit www.HealthierHospitals.org.
 
AMDR Featured in Medical Plastics News
Posted August 8, 2014
Dan Vukelich, of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors, examines issues surrounding ‘single use’ devices, the opportunities available for the reprocessing of these devices in the EU and how it can learn from the US experience . . . Read more.
 
Becker’s Hospital Review: “The Ins and Outs of Third Party Reprocessing”
Posted August 14, 2014
…Millions of single-use devices are used daily in healthcare facilities across the country. Instead of throwing away devices after use, third-party reprocessors refurbish them back to original manufacturer specifications so hospitals can reuse them, saving money and eliminating waste while still assuring clinical quality and safety for patients…. Read more.
 
Healthcare Organizations Strive for Balance Between Keeping It Green and Keeping It Real
Posted August 26, 2014
. . . Not only does reprocessing SUD’s reduce waste but it results in significant cost savings. Typically, hospitals and surgery centers can attain a $15,000 to $25,000 annual savings for every active operating room that they have through reprocessing single use devices. As of 2008, 70 percent of U.S. hospitals had a contract with third-party reprocessing companies. .. Read more.
 
Healthcare Purchasing News Highlights Sustainably Savvy Hospitals 
Posted August 28, 2014
“Cadence Health expects to save a half a million dollars per year based on our volume and the average reprocessing capability for a system our size. Although this amount might seem small, the more cash we can generate for the system, the more we can invest into the system.” Read more
 
Reprocessing Industry Overwhelmingly Supported By U.S. News & World Report’s 2014-2015 “Honor Roll” Hospitals
Posted August 29, 2014
This year, the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) is proud to announce that its members currently serve 14 out of 17 hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Honor Roll” List.
 
Infection Control Today Cites Reprocessing In Review of “Essentials” for Infection Prevention
Posted September 2, 2014
Stryker Sustainability Solutions says it helps reduce 3,400 tons of medical waste per year and saves hospitals $6.5 in supply costs every second. “Infection preventionists should remember that some medical devices, while marketed by original manufacturers as “single-use,” can be reprocessed by a regulated, third-party reprocessor,” says Caryn Humphrey, RN, BSN, MBA, product manager for Stryker Sustainability Solutions. … Read more
 
Dan Vukelich Speaks at International Conference on SUDs in Saudi Arabia
Posted September 3, 2014
Dan Vukelich is in attendance at the International Conference on Single Use Devices in Saudi Arabia. You can find him listed in the program under the third session: “Reprocessing of “Single-Use” Medical Devices: Legal liability and ethical aspects…Experience in the U.S.A.” View all speakers here
 
Reprocessed Medical Devices Market Expected to Reach USD 2.58 Billion Globally in 2020
Posted September 18, 2014
According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research “Reprocessed Medical Devices Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 – 2020″, the global reprocessed medical devices market was valued at USD 0.78 billion in 2013 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.3% from 2014 to 2020, to reach USD 2.58 billion in 2020. Read more
 
Sustainability Trends Catching On At Hospitals
Posted on October 2, 2014
The Healthier Hospitals Initiative has released its 2013 Milestone Report, showing that more hospitals are adopting sustainability practices to reduce their environmental footprint while lowering costs and improving the health of patients and staff. The report notes $45 in savings as a result of hospitals disposing of fewer and fewer devices after a single use. Read more
 
Hospital’s ‘Green Team’ Cuts Waste And Expense
Posted on October 16, 2014
. . She said the hospital’s program of reprocessing some surgical devices – an increasingly common practice – saved SVH $50,000 last year. The Food and Drug Administration, as well as Congress, oversees and regulates the practice of reprocessing surgical equipment. Read more
 
“Reducing The Landfill” With Reprocessing Program
Posted on October 22, 2014
Before the buyback program started 2 years ago, OR staff would throw the Harmonic scalpels into a red sharps container, along with syringes, suture and glass vials. The key was educating staff to segregate the devices to be reprocessed into the green bins. Compliance has been outstanding. From August of last year to this year, Ms. Stengel calculates that the reprocessing program has saved her facility $37,000 in instrument purchasing and an additional $1,900 in landfill costs. “That’s not pocket change,” says Ms. Stengel. Read more
 
What Comes In Must Go Out
Posted on October 23, 2014
..Establish or utilize a GPO service contract with a third-party reprocessor for collection of single-use medical devices (SUDs) in patient care areas and the OR, including EP/cath labs. Ask the vendor to provide reports on the type and weight of devices collected.
Purchase reprocessed single-use medical devices from an FDA-approved third-party reprocessor. Specify that they provide reports on the type and weight of devices collected. Read more
 
2013 Milestone Report Shows Hospitals Going Healthier
Posted on October 24, 2014
Additional report highlights include….more than $45 million was saved as a result of single-use device reprocessing, a 33 percent increase in 2012. Read more
 
Sorting Out The Savings In Waste Management
Posted in November 10, 2014
Christine-Marie Eno, Director of Materials Management at Catholic Medical Center, NH, said they continually save about 10,000 pounds of device waste from entering the landfill each year by reprocessing SUDs. “From 2011 to 2013 our supply cost savings rose from $375,000 to $712,000. The continued success comes from the routine monitoring of the program and having “Champions” in each department making sure what can be reprocessed gets in the correct buckets.” Read more
 
Hospitals Could Save Two Million – If Someone Acted
Posted on November 19, 2014
From Tone Lovšin, Trokar Company
The longer the state of reprocessing remains vague in the EU – as well as in our country, the longer Europe market will remain an Eldorado for manufacturers. As it turned out, none of the persons we interviewed is actually against well regulated reprocessing of certain medical devices; on the contrary, they support the idea, but nobody is willing to take the first necessary step. Read more