Safety and Other Benefits

Maintaining Safety While Reducing Cost

Commercial reprocessing offers a way to maintain the highest quality patient care, while also achieving significant cost-savings. The facts speak for themselves.

AMDR members have collectively reprocessed tens of millions of devices with few problems. Though numerous devices labeled for “single-use” can be safely reprocessed, it is AMDR’s view that not every device should be. AMDR member companies reprocess only a small percentage of the numerous “single-use” devices used by hospitals.

• Commercial reprocessing saves money. On average, reprocessed medical devices offer a 50% cost savings, as compared to purchasing a new device.
• Commercial reprocessing provides at least as high – and perhaps even a higher degree – of sterility assurance than in-hospital reprocessing. Commercial reprocessors use commercial sterilization standards that meet or exceed hospital standards for cleanliness and sterility protocols Because of economies of scale, third-party reprocessors often have more capital available than hospitals to invest in state-of-the-art cleaning, sterilization, and testing equipment.
• Commercial reprocessing offers hospitals significant risk management benefits. Hospitals that outsource their reprocessing needs to AMDR member companies effectively free themselves from malpractice costs that could arise in connection with improper reprocessing.