Fall 2024 Newsletter

Why We Do This Work – Measured in Dollars, Kilos, and Olympic Swimming Pools

Every year, AMDR eagerly awaits the results of our annual member survey, and this quarter, we were blown away with the results: in 2023, AMDR members helped a record 11,967 hospitals and surgical centers in 15 countries save nearly half a billion dollars and eliminated greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 7.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools of gasoline. This data is also available as infographics on our website.

Very Positive Steps from American, British Governments

This quarter began with a welcome announcement from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA): the “single-use” label does not, in fact, mean that a device cannot be safely reprocessed. In their online resource on the matter, FDA clarified that “the absence of reprocessing validation testing by the OEM” is the reason for the label, but that “does not mean the device is unable to be reprocessed” and that “certain SUDs may be demonstrated safe and effective for reuse via reprocessing validation testing.” 

The UK Department of Health & Social Care – which is responsible for the National Health Service (NHS) – released a groundbreaking report, the ‘Design for Life Roadmap‘, which aims for the NHS to “[transition] away from all avoidable single-use medtech products” and “deliver a circular [healthcare] system” by 2045. The ‘Roadmap’ repeatedly endorses device reprocessing (“remanufacturing” in the UK) as a means to achieve this goal, and seeks collaboration with global partners in governments and industry.

AMDR Reaches Regulators and Thought-Leaders to Advance Reprocessing

The Veterans Health Administration is one of the largest health systems in the world, the largest in the U.S., and the only one in the U.S. that bans the use of FDA-regulated, reprocessed devices. Now, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General has recommended, and the VHA has agreed, to finally reconsider this policy. A report about this is due in December.

AMDR also submitted comments to the United States Trade Representative urging them to address the challenges presented by EU Medical Device Regulation, which unfairly restricts the adoption of reprocessing in Europe. And, the National Academy of Medicine now hosts AMDR’s free carbon emissions calculator, which we released in April.

Why We Do This Work – Measured in the Success of Our Members

As always, none of AMDR’s or the reprocessing industry’s successes this quarter would be possible without the exemplary leadership of our member companies. This quarter, Innovative Health committed to ambitious climate objectives; Arjo continues to expand their reprocessing operations in the northwestern U.S.; Cardinal Health and Innovative Health launched a partnership to expand their reprocessing portfolios in cardiology; and corporate leaders of Innovative Health and Vanguard AG made appearances on podcasts and in trade journals to advance reprocessing to wider audiences.

Our members represent the best of this industry, and this industry represents the best of sustainable, circular solutions for healthcare. I am proud to report on yet another quarter of positive reprocessing news!

Best Wishes,

Dan Vukelich, Esq.
President & CEO
Association of Medical Device Reprocessors
www.amdr.org 

MedCity News: How the Move of Ablation Procedures into Surgery Centers Will Transform Electrophysiology
October 21, 2024
In this article, Innovative Health’s Lars Thording explains how the shift of electrophysiology ablation procedures from hospitals to surgery centers is set to bring transformative changes to the field. As CMS prepares to introduce reimbursement codes for less complex ablation procedures in 2026, the migration is expected to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and encourage innovations in both technology and methodology. Key to this transition is a shift in end-of-life treatment of medical devices, as surgery centers prioritize cost-effective practices like single-use device reprocessing, which can cut costs by half compared to brand-new equipment. This focus on reprocessing not only enhances the financial sustainability of procedures but also creates a competitive environment that challenges traditional hospital-based care models. This evolving landscape promises to optimize resource use, encourage ingenuity, and ultimately benefit both physicians and patients.

euronews: MEPs push Commission to re-open EU medical device law quickly
October 10, 2024
European lawmakers are urging the European Commission to expedite revisions to EU medical device regulations, which have faced delays and could result in critical shortages. The regulations, introduced to enhance safety and accessibility of devices like pacemakers and syringes, require many existing devices to be re-certified. However, the slow designation of bodies responsible for product compliance has sparked concerns. While the Commission has extended the transition period to avoid immediate shortages, MEPs are calling for faster reforms, particularly in areas like pediatric surgery, though some caution against rushing changes at the expense of safety and transparency.

LinkedIn: Arianna Huffington: The Climate Crisis Is Also a Health Crisis
October 7, 2024
Arianna Huffington highlights the inextricable link between the climate crisis and the health crisis, underscoring how extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, heat waves, and wildfires, exacerbate chronic diseases and mental health issues. With climate change setting record highs for global temperatures and worsening air pollution, health impacts are mounting, especially for vulnerable populations. Huffington calls for urgent action to address both crises, advocating behavior change as a potent remedy for chronic diseases and a tool for building resilience. She emphasizes that empowering people with the resources to make healthier lifestyle choices could simultaneously bolster health outcomes and aid climate mitigation, positioning healthier populations to confront these interconnected challenges.

UK Department of Health & Social Care: New NHS Policy ‘Roadmap’ Centers Device Reprocessing in Drive to Eliminate Single-Use Plastics Waste
October 2024
The UK Department of Health & Social Care – the agency responsible for managing the National Health Service (NHS) – broke ground with the release of their ‘Design for Life Roadmap’, which lays out ambitious goals for a sustainable future for the NHS. Aiming to “[transition] away from all avoidable single-use medtech products” and “deliver a circular [healthcare] system” by 2045, the ‘Roadmap’ repeatedly endorses device reprocessing (“remanufacturing” in the UK) as a means to achieve this goal. Further, the NHS hopes to position itself as a global leader in healthcare sustainability by engaging industry stakeholders and working with regulators in other countries to develop a harmonized, global regulatory framework that encourages circularity in healthcare. AMDR graciously welcomes this monumental report, will take the NHS up on their offer to engage with allies in industry, and will encourage our colleagues in governments around the world to adopt similar policies.

National Academy of Medicine: Accelerating the Climate & Health Movement – ACTION SHOWCASE
October 2024
As awareness grows about the health threats posed by the climate crisis, health-related organizations are working to reduce emissions, protect the health of the communities they serve, and spur sector-wide advancements to address climate change. The Climate Action Showcase illustrates clear examples of  a wide range of activities undertaken by a growing slice of the participants of the NAM initiative to Accelerate the National Climate and Health Movement. The showcase offers resources, tools, and ideas for other organizations in the health sector and beyond to replicate as they pursue efforts to address climate change and health—no matter where they are on their journey, their type of organization, or the category of climate action they choose to pursue. AMDR is pleased to announce that the NAM showcase features our Reprocessing Carbon Emissions Calculator!

Vanguard AG: Vanguard AG CEO Ulrike Marczak and Dr. Hagen Thielecke featured with byllined articles in German trade journal
September, 2024
In the latest issue of mt medizintechnik, Vanguard AG chairwoman Ulrike Marczak and Head of Research & Development and Regulatory Affairs Dr. Hagen Thielecke contributed their expertise on medical device remanufacturing, emphasizing sustainability and regulatory challenges. Marczak’s article, “Reuse instead of throwing away: First remanufacturing, then recycling“, focuses on extending the life cycle of medical devices and advocates for a collaborative circular economy in healthcare. Dr. Thielecke’s piece, “Regulatory circular economy for medical devices: research and development for remanufacturing”, offers insights into the strict reprocessing practices in Germany and the EU, highlighting the importance of safe patient care and the need for greater synergy between original manufacturers and remanufacturers to ensure sustainable and affordable healthcare.

Fierce Healthcare: Podnosis Podcast – Minimizing plastics use and risk in healthcare
September 4, 2024
In this week’s episode of “Podnosis,” two experts break down the history of plastics use in the healthcare sector and what it would take for an organization to phase them out. Their discussion explores, among other things, the history of policy incentivizing the proliferation of single-use plastics (approx. 6:30) and the embrace of medical device reprocessing in response (approx. 9:00).

Healthcare Purchasing News: PODCAST: Reprocessing with Lars Thording
September 4, 2024
On this episode, Lars Thording, PhD, vice president of Innovative Health and board member of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors, talks all things medical device reprocessing with Janette Wider, Editor-in-Chief of HPN.

National Academy of Medicine: NAM Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector Executive Summary and Reflections from Phase 1 (2021-2023)
September 2024
The NAM Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector (Climate Collaborative) launched in 2021 to unite health professionals, sector entities, and leadership in reducing the environmental impacts of the health sector and advancing climate resilience. From 2021 to 2023, the Collaborative engaged over 130 health leaders and provided more than 30 resources, positioning itself as a key player in setting and achieving sustainability goals. On numerous occasions, the Collaborative cited AMDR resources and data to endorse reprocessing as a key sustainability strategy for healthcare. Other notable contributions include the Joint Commission’s Sustainable Healthcare Certification and the CMS Innovation Center’s Decarbonization and Resilience Initiative. As Phase 1 concludes, the NAM is expanding efforts with the Initiative to Accelerate the National Climate and Health Movement, inviting all health-related organizations to join in addressing climate change impacts on health, thus reinforcing its leadership role in the sector’s decarbonization.

Health Care Without Harm: Reprocessing best practices questionnaire
August 29, 2024
This questionnaire is designed to gather insight and best practice on reprocessing. Reprocessing is the act of sterilising, disinfecting and cleaning a medical device formally labelled as single-use, in order to allow it to be reused. This practice is legal and practised in some countries in Europe and we at Health Care Without Harm Europe are interested in your experiences with this practice. Your contributions are valuable and will be useful in sharing practices where reprocessing is already a reality with different hospitals. Please take a few minutes to share your experience by 30 September 2024.

Medical Device Network: Eco-Innovation: Improving sustainability in medical devices
August 20, 2024
The medical device industry is increasingly focused on sustainability, driven by the need to reduce its environmental impact while maintaining high standards of care. Companies are adopting eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and innovative end-of-life programs – including medical device reprocessing. Notably, advancements in sterilization techniques have enabled the safe reprocessing of certain single-use devices, significantly cutting down medical waste. This push towards sustainable practices is not only environmentally beneficial but also enhances the industry’s competitiveness and reputation.

Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General: A Select Review of VHA’s Implementation of the VA Sustainability Plan
August 14, 2024
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a select review of Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) implementation of the 2022 United States Department of Veterans Affairs Sustainability Plan, which describes priority actions for achieving federal environmental sustainability goals outlined in Executive Order 14057. In a huge, positive step for the medical device reprocessing industry, the OIG specifically took aim at the VHA’s longstanding prohibition on the use of reprocessed devices. “VHA will consider the merits of reprocessing single use medical devices against the potential risks to Veteran safety,” the report reads. “VHA will evaluate the current policy and evidence through an already established interdisciplinary workgroup chaired by the Office of Sterile Processing and includes representatives from other VHA offices as needed. The workgroup will share their findings with VHA leadership, to include any recommendations for policy revisions, if applicable.” This is big news for us at AMDR and throughout the reprocessing and green healthcare spaces more broadly. We have long networked with and put pressure on the VHA to reconsider this policy, and it appears their ears are starting to open. As the VHA remains the only major U.S.-based health system to prohibit the use of our members’ products, we look forward to keeping up our campaign against this policy, and sharing more such good news with our readers going forward.

1News: Kiwi medical firm opens new Aus facility, but struggles back home
August 13, 2024
Medsalv, a New Zealand-based medical device reprocessing company, has faced challenges in securing a spot on Pharmac’s Hospital Medical Devices List, despite significant savings and sustainability benefits. The company, which enables up to 14 reuses of over 50 medical devices, has expanded into Australia with a new facility in Victoria, supported by the local government. While Medsalv has seen some success in New Zealand hospitals, its founder Oliver Hunt criticizes the procurement processes of Pharmac, New Zealand’s pharmaceutical management agency, for being resistant to innovation and making it difficult for new suppliers to enter the market. Despite these hurdles, Medsalv continues to push for broader adoption of its technology to achieve cost savings and environmental benefits in healthcare.

Healthcare Purchasing News: FDA Launches Online Resources for Reprocessed Single-Use Medical Devices
August 5, 2024
On August 1, the FDA introduced online resources to provide information about reprocessing single-use medical devices for healthcare facilities and FAQs. This page provides information to help healthcare facilities understand the use of reprocessed medical devices originally labeled for single-use, and to clarify the level of FDA’s regulatory oversight of these reprocessed single-use medical devices to remain as safe and effective as the original manufactured devices. Reprocessed SUDs should be capable of withstanding necessary cleaning, disinfection or sterilization, and continue to comply with all applicable FDA requirements after each instance of reprocessing, up to the maximum number of times that the devices are intended to be reprocessed. Most reprocessed SUDs are required to present reprocessing validation testing as part of premarket submissions to the FDA.

Association of Medical Device Reprocessors: New Annual Member Survey from AMDR Shows Steady Industry Growth; Massive Cost, Waste, and Emissions Reductions in 2023
October 16, 2024
A record 11,967 hospitals and surgical centers in 15 countries saved $465,792,593 (€4421,924,942) and avoided an estimated 98,206,323 pounds (44,545,639 kilograms) of greenhouse gas emissions (kgCO2e) by using regulated, commercially reprocessed “single-use” medical devices in 2023. The data comes from a newly released survey by the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR). “AMDR members partner with hospitals to reduce cost, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions by using regulated, reprocessed SUDs,” said Daniel J. Vukelich, President and CEO, Association of Medical Device Reprocessors. “Our industry continues to experience robust growth, and that means hospitals are saving more than ever and eliminating more greenhouse gas emissions.”

Association of Medical Device Reprocessors: Comments to the USTR Regarding Trade Barriers Under the EU MDR
October 16, 2024
The Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) has submitted comments to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) addressing significant foreign trade barriers impacting the reprocessing industry in the European Union. AMDR highlights how the EU’s Medical Device Regulation disproportionately limits access to reprocessed medical devices from U.S. companies, citing a $300-$400 million reduction in market access due to EU Member States’ inconsistent “opt-in” policies. This creates a non-tariff trade barrier, conflicting with global standards that promote regulated, environmentally friendly practices such as medical device reprocessing. AMDR emphasizes the safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benefits of reprocessing, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions considerably, while calling for USTR engagement to address these barriers and support the circular economy in healthcare.

Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (LinkedIn): Healthcare Stakeholders Often Feel Caught Between Cutting Costs and Cutting Carbon. The “Calculator Revolution” Proves They Can Do Both.
August 6, 2024
There’s a quiet revolution taking place in healthcare known as the “Carbon Calculator Revolution,” where sustainability-focused organizations are using new tools to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the sector. Earlier this year, AMDR launched a free carbon calculator that helps health systems measure the carbon savings from using FDA-regulated reprocessed medical devices. Now, New York University’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) has introduced an innovative “Reprocessing Monetization Tool” that calculates the financial benefits of using reprocessed devices by accounting for cost savings in medical device procurement and waste disposal, as well as monetizing carbon emissions reductions. This combination of environmental and financial metrics provides a compelling case for healthcare procurement staff to prioritize sustainable practices, who often struggle to connect the long-term desire for sustainability with their immediate concerns about cost. Check out our new article to learn more about how the emergence of these tools is helping to bridge these concerns, setting a “new bottom line” for healthcare procurement.

Innovative Health: Innovative Health Commits to Ambitious 2030 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal
October 24, 2024
Innovative Health, Inc. today announced that it has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its reprocessing operations through a series of initiatives leading up to 2030. As a single-use device reprocessing company, Innovative Health is already responsible for reducing healthcare carbon emissions due to the circular re-use program the industry represents. However, the company wants to take this commitment to the next level. “From an environmental perspective, we cannot be satisfied that with the simple fact that using one of our reprocessed devices is better than using a new one,” said Rick Ferreira, CEO of Innovative Health. “We are challenging ourselves to push beyond the already impressive environmental performance of our industry. I am convinced there are ways to further reduce our GHG emissions – and the initiatives we have started now will address major areas of opportunity. Everybody in healthcare needs to be thinking about reducing environmental harm – and everybody should commit to measureable results.”

Stryker: Healthcare supply chain management and SSS: Partners in successful reprocessing
October 10, 2024
At Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions (SSS), we know that efficient supply chain management is critical to a hospital’s bottom line and to its patient care. Today, we’re working with supply chain teams at roughly 3,250 health care facilities across the U.S. and Canada to ensure that our reprocessed medical devices are on hand and can flow seamlessly into physicians’ hands when needed. In the past five years alone, our reprocessed medical devices have supported the health and well-being of 90.8 million patients.

Arjo: Arjo Announces Opening of New Reprocessing Facility to Enhance Production Capacity and Customer Service
August 28, 2024
Arjo, a global healthcare leader committed to driving healthier outcomes for people facing mobility challenges, is excited to announce the opening of its new state-of-the-art facility for reprocessing medical devices. The new space, 50% larger than the previous location, is designed to increase the production output and significantly improve turnaround times. “We are thrilled to expand our capabilities with this new facility,” said Chris Dorsey, President of Arjo US. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to meeting the growing demands of our valued customers and providing them with even better service.” Sustainability is key to Arjo’s success and the company sees opportunities to further strengthen its competitiveness by offering more circular solutions and business models. As a global MedTech company, Arjo plays an important role in society. The company’s products and solutions contribute daily to increased patient safety, a better work environment for healthcare professionals and more efficient work processes in care environments.

ESG News: Cardinal Health Leads Sustainable Reprocessing, Saving U.S. Hospitals $412M Annually
August 28, 2024
U.S. hospitals are adopting medical device reprocessing as a key strategy to cut costs, reduce waste, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Cardinal Health’s Sustainable Technologies™ division is leading this shift, offering single-use device (SUD) collections and reprocessing services. In 2021, hospitals saved over $412 million through these efforts, according to the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors. To enhance their cardiology offerings, Cardinal Health’s Sustainable Technologies has partnered with Innovative Health, a leader in the reprocessing of cardiology devices. “The success and reputation of Sustainable Technologies in the reprocessing industry demonstrates Cardinal Health’s commitment to doing the right thing for patients, hospitals and the environment,” said Rick Ferreira, CEO of Innovative Health. This collaboration expands Sustainable Technologies’ portfolio, including nearly 50 FDA-cleared cardiology devices, and opens up new savings opportunities for hospitals.

ChristianaCare: ChristianaCare Team Wins Environmental Excellence Gold Award From Stryker Sustainability Solutions
August 22, 2024
ChristianaCare has received the Environmental Excellence Gold Award from Stryker for its significant achievements in sustainability during 2023, including diverting 6,722 pounds of medical waste from landfills and saving over $1.1 million. The health system’s innovative reprocessing program safely extends the life of medical equipment by cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and restoring used devices. Commonly reprocessed items include compression boot sleeves, pulse oximeters, ECG leads, and laparoscopic tools. In addition, ChristianaCare launched a medical donation program, repurposing over 680 pounds of expired supplies for educational use. Committed to environmental stewardship, ChristianaCare aims for 100% renewable energy by 2025 and net-zero emissions by 2050, having already reduced its carbon footprint by 37% in 2023 through emission-free electricity.

Innovative Health: Innovative Health and US Endovascular Announce Agreement to Drive Cost Savings in Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Office-Based Labs
June 27, 2024
Innovative Health, Inc. and US Endovascular today announced that they have entered into an agreement that will enable US Endovascular’s partners among ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and office-based labs (OBLs) to benefit from the rapidly growing portfolio of reprocessed single-use devices from Innovative Health. Innovative Health is the leading reprocessor of single-use devices used in electrophysiology and interventional cardiology labs in hospitals. The company’s regulatory and reprocessing technology expertise enables it to now build a portfolio of reprocessed devices used in coronary and peripheral procedures in medical facilities outside the hospital. “ASCs and OBLs are often under significant cost pressure, and our new reprocessing program is designed to create significant cost savings of more than $1,000 in many procedures,” said Innovative Health CEO Rick Ferreira. “We are proud to partner with US Endovascular, the premier supplier of coronary and peripheral devices to ASCs and OBLs in the United States.”

YaleNews: Many nations aren’t meeting their green health care commitments, study says
October 8, 2024
A recent study led by Yale’s Jodi Sherman reveals that countries are failing to meet international commitments to make health care systems more sustainable, citing inadequate monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and a lack of climate resilience planning. While the health care sector contributes nearly 5% of global emissions, the study notes that only 30% of committed countries have assessed their systems’ vulnerability, with just 11% accounting for their emissions. Despite agreements to adopt low-carbon health care systems, these countries represent only 26% of global health care emissions. The study underscores concerns about “greenwashing” due to insufficient tracking indicators and calls for more robust, outcome-based monitoring to ensure genuine progress toward sustainable health care.

JAMA Network: Health Care Actions for Reducing Plastic Use and Pollution
September 23, 2024
The article emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to reducing plastic pollution in healthcare, highlighting that nearly a quarter of the 14,000 tons of daily hospital waste in the U.S. is plastic, much of it being single-use. It calls for a sociotechnical approach across the plastics life cycle (PLC) to address plastic’s health and environmental risks, such as exposure to harmful chemicals and microplastics. Strategies include organizational audits to identify reusable alternatives, clinician engagement, cultural change, policy reforms, and developing a circular economy approach, which involves durable design, reprocessing, repair, and recycling of medical devices. It explicitly discusses the potential for reusing, reprocessing, and remanufacturing medical devices, emphasizing the need for establishing robust protocols, incentivizing manufacturers, and adopting circular infrastructure to minimize plastic reliance and waste in healthcare settings.

The Surgeon: Reprocessing capabilities of newly approved devices for use in surgery
August 18, 2024
Single-use medical devices used in surgery can create environmental waste and increased costs. Reprocessed medical devices may reduce cost and environmental impact. This study investigated the reprocessing capabilities of newly FDA-approved devices in surgery, finding that reprocessing capabilities for newly approved surgical devices are variable and overall limited. To enhance adoption of reprocessing in surgical practice, future efforts will likely be needed to expand the reprocessing potential of new surgical devices.

The Medical Journal of Australia: Developing the green operating room: exploring barriers and opportunities to reducing operating room waste
August 19, 2024
In this report, Australian researchers “explore barriers and opportunities” to make make Australian operating rooms more sustainable – including through medical device reprocessing. The authors recommend, among a number of strategies, that health systems contract with third-party reprocessors to reduce waste, costs, and carbon emissions. However, they also list a number of barriers to reprocessing. While some of these barriers track with what we have seen before, like clinician prejudices or suspicion towards reprocessed devices, others seem to reflect an incorrect understanding of how reprocessing works. AMDR has many friends and colleagues in Australia and Oceania more broadly, and we will continue to work with them to expand to this region the growing, global momentum in support of reprocessing.

LinkedIn: AMDR President and CEO Dan Vukelich Attends the 6th Nordic Conference on Sustainable Healthcare
October 14, 2024
AMDR President Daniel J. Vukelich, Esq., CAE is excited to join the 6th Nordic Conference on Sustainable Healthcare this week to explore ways we can help create a greener #circulareconomy in #healthcare through innovations like the #reprocessing of “single-use” #medicaldevices.

LinkedIn: NAM Climate Action Showcase Features AMDR Calculator
October 9, 2024
AMDR is proud to join the NAM as we #ActOnClimate by cutting #ghgemissions through expansion of simple solutions including the reprocessing of “single-use” medical devices and other simple solutions that advance toward #netzero goals in #healthcare.

View NAM’s new NAM Showcase for examples of climate actions you can take to make a difference, starting now: https://lnkd.in/eVjEfBJu

LinkedIn: Innovative Health’s Specialty Cardiology Reprocessing
October 8, 2024
Learn how the expansion of #reprocessed “single-use” #medicaldevices (R-SUDs) is a critical #supplychain solution that helps hashtag#hospitals 🏥 save during a time of rising costs. 🌍

LinkedIn: Vanguard AG CEO Ulrike Marczak and Dr. Hagen Thielecke featured with byllined articles in German trade journal
September 18, 2024
Ulrike Marczak and Dr. Hagen Thielecke were each allowed to write an article for the current issue as experts for #Medizintechnik and Kreislaufwirtschaft. 😊

Our CEO Ulrike Marczak explains the hierarchy of waste and how important the correct sequence of recycling is for climate protection and the profitability of hospitals. Hence the title: “Reuse instead of throwing away – first remanufacturing, then recycling”

Dr. Hagen Thielecke provides a look behind the scenes in his text “Compliant Circular Economy for Medical Devices: Research and Development for Remanufacturing”. In doing so, he makes it clear how strictly reprocessing practice is regulated in Germany and the EU and how much work goes into enabling medical devices to have a further life cycle.

LinkedIn: Arjo Announces Opening of New Reprocessing Facility to Enhance Production Capacity and Customer Service
September 5, 2024
Congratulations on this exciting expansion as we collaborate to help drive #sustainability in #healthcare through greener, cost-saving, waste-reducing innovations like the #reprocessing of “single-use” #medicaldevices!

LinkedIn: PODCAST: Reprocessing with Lars Thording
September 4, 2024
Do you want to understand what single-use device reprocessing in healthcare means? Listen to Lars Thording’s podcast in Healthcare Purchasing News.
https://lnkd.in/gtyuXFXK

LinkedIn: Cardinal Health opens new medical products distribution center!
August 22, 2024
Join us in congratulating the Cardinal Health team on this proud milestone!

Medline: Medline receives first-ever Diamond-level HIRC Resiliency Badge for manufacturing
August 22, 2024
Congratulations to the outstanding team at Medline Industries, LP! We are proud to partner with you to help accelerate resilience in the #supplychain as we build a more #sustainable future in #healthcare and beyond.

LinkedIn: Reprocessing Single-Use Medical Devices: Information for Health Care Facilities
August 20, 2024
AMDR welcomes two new webpages from the FDA that clarify its language around #reprocessed “single-use” #medicaldevices (R-SUDs). This move gives #hospitals and #healthcare providers information on the purpose of R-SUDs and helps them better understand how the FDA’s regulatory oversight of them advances safety and efficacy.

“The practice of reprocessing devices that are intended for single-use (known as single-use devices, SUDs) began in hospitals in the late 1970s. Since that time, this practice has become widespread as a mechanism to save costs for health care facilities and reduce medical waste.”

Find examples of how R-SUDs help decarbonize the health sector by cutting medical waste from the supply chain, how the FDA plays a critical role, and more. Visit “Reprocessing Single-Use Medical Devices: Information for Health Care Facilities” today: https://ow.ly/MkGc50T1MEI

LinkedIn: AMDR Summer 2024 Reprocessing Newsletter
August 13, 2024
Want to learn the latest news on reprocessing single-use medical devices? Read the AMDR Summer 2024 Reprocessing Newsletter! https://ow.ly/zqhC50SWylj

Learn how AMDR and our members play an increasingly active role in helping #hospitals, public health leaders, and others accelerate #sustainable solutions like the #reprocessing of #medicaldevices (R-SUDs). https://ow.ly/zqhC50SWylj

Explore the collective contributions of our growing community that continues to build unprecedented awareness around this #climatesmart, cost-saving #circulareconomy innovation.

LinkedIn: NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business Researcher Thanks AMDR and Daniel Vukelich for Research Assistance
August 10, 2024
Daniel J. Vukelich, Esq., CAE Thank you for featuring NYU Stern CSB’s Decarbonization tool that shows the benefits of switching from single use to reprocessed medical devices for healthcare delivery systems. In working with our research partner, Advocate Health, we found that switching not only saves money through operational efficiencies but improves resiliency and reduces the system’s emissions footprint. AMDR’s research and industry data was helpful to show the cost savings across multiple organizations. We invite hospitals/delivery systems to download our easy-to-use tool (links included below) and calculate a potential value that can be created. This tool also suggests practical and organizational considerations necessary in deciding whether to switch, the types of data needed for estimating the potential benefits and KPIs to track future performance. Thank you to our funders The Commonwealth Fund for supporting this research
NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business Tensie Whelan Chisara Ehiemere Travis H. Cassandra Thiel

https://lnkd.in/eWdPA4Ku