Reprocessed medical devices save hospitals millions, cut emissions

Editor's Note

In 2023, hospitals and surgical centers saved more than $465 million and prevented nearly 98 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing reprocessed single-use medical devices, according to a survey by the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR). DotMed reported the news October 21.

The data indicate widespread adoption of devices including lateral transfer mats, pulse oximeters, and electrophysiology catheters. According to DotMed, nearly 12,000 healthcare facilities purchased 30.9 million of these and other reprocessed devices in 2023, keeping nearly 24 million pounds of medical waste out of landfills. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions was equivalent to the output from 5 million gallons of gasoline, enough to fill approximately 7.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The data relied on AMDR’s greenhouse gas emissions calculator, which uses life cycle assessments and data from peer-reviewed studies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator to compare the environmental impact of reprocessed devices against newly manufactured ones.