WASHINGTON, D.C. – 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.
“Value-based healthcare is replacing volume-based healthcare with hospitals now more eager than ever for solutions to reduce waste, maximize the value of their purchasing decisions, and promote sustainability,” said Dan Vukelich, president and CEO of AMDR. “Medical device reprocessing is one of the first programs clinicians employ to dramatically cut care delivery costs while providing their patients with the same standard of care.”
Since AMDR’s founding in 1997, medical device reprocessing and the value it provides to healthcare systems has grown tremendously – from a $20 million industry in the U.S. in 2000, to an estimated half billion dollar industry in the U.S. alone today. AMDR’s members now serve a majority of U.S. hospitals, including the country’s Honor Roll hospitals, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. As international governments grapple with how to make healthcare delivery more financially, and environmentally sustainable, all while maintaining a high quality of care, the critical role of medical device reprocessing programs in hospitals and health systems will only continue to grow.
AMDR was founded to promote the legal, regulatory and trade interests of the third-party medical device reprocessing industry. AMDR’s members reprocess, or clean, test, inspect, remanufacture and sterilize single-use devices (SUDs) making them safe for reuse. SUD reprocessing is strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in Germany it must comply with the guidelines of the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention at the Robert Koch Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. AMDR members are ISO 13485 compliant, among other internationally-recognized standards.
##
About Medline ReNewal
Medline ReNewal is based in Redmond, Oregon and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Medline Industries, Inc., the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies in the United States. Medline ReNewal is an FDA-registered third-party medical device reprocessor of single-use devices with an unwavering commitment to patient safety, surgeon satisfaction and FDA compliance. Started in 1997, Medline Renewal is a nationally recognized reprocessing market leader and trusted partner of thousands of physicians and healthcare facilities across the country. Through reprocessing, Medline ReNewal’s customers realize two significant benefits: financial savings which can be re-directed toward enhancing positive patient care and medical waste reduction which demonstrates positive environmental stewardship. For more information, please visit medlinerenewal.com.
About Vanguard AG
Vanguard AG, based in Berlin, Germany, is Europe’s largest commercial medical device reprocessor. It is the European market leader in the validated special reprocessing of complex medical devices, ensuring patient, user, and third-party safety. It also provides outsourcing concepts for the central reprocessing of sterile goods in hospitals. The company supplies integrated system solutions, with developing strategies for long-term growth in profitability and implementing processes in a quality assured manner. The company was founded in 1998 where it set up the first industrial special reprocessing plant for medical devices in Europe. Since then, more than four million medical devices labeled “for single use” have been reprocessed at these sites. For more information, please visit vanguard-healthcare.com.
About Stryker Sustainability Solutions
Stryker Sustainability Solutions (and its precursor companies) is a founding member of AMDR. As a division of Stryker Corporation, it is a leading provider of reprocessing and remanufacturing services for medical devices as well as comprehensive recycling and redistribution initiatives. For more information about Stryker’s commitment to the smart, efficient delivery of healthcare, visit sustainability.stryker.com.
About the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors