The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made official what we’ve known for decades: Reprocessed “single-use” medical devices (SUDs), as regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or worldwide regulatory equivalent, are a top solution to help reduce waste, save costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions from hospitals.

In the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) “Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change” report, use of reprocessed SUDs is listed as a key measure for hospitals to reach federal targets to reduce their carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.

We hope leadership at the U.S. Department of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has taken note. VHA is the only major hospital system in the United States – public or private – that continues to waste resources and spike greenhouse gas emissions by throwing out every SUD after just one use.

We’re also thrilled to see the growing body of evidence that supports reprocessing as a solution to the outsized proportion of greenhouse gas emissions fueled by hospitals. Published reports from French researchers quantify the CO2 impact of single-use ablation catheters when thrown out after each use. A second published report, also from French researchers, shows that cardiac physicians in Europe are highly motivated by sustainability.

In the recently published book The Sustainability Scorecard: How to Implement and Profit from Unexpected Solutions, authors Urvashi Bhatnager and Paul Anastas point to reprocessing of SUDs as a prime example of a circular economy innovation that slashes toxic emissions while simultaneously decreasing costs and strengthening supply chain resiliency.

A growing number of surgeons and physicians are realizing that decisions made in the surgical suite, like using reprocessed SUDs, have a direct impact on cutting their carbon footprint while at work. We urge more practitioners to join the fight against climate change and lead by example. These decisions impact all of us – including our families and patients.

As the voice for the commercial reprocessing industry, we are committed to help. The reprocessing industry has the infrastructure in place to capture millions more SUDs for reprocessing. By maximizing reprocessing programs, we can collectively build a more resilient supply chain, decrease costs, diminish waste, and lower emissions.

Drop me a note if you have questions or if you would like to launch and sustain a successful reprocessing program. We will connect you with our members, who are eager to provide the necessary resources and expertise to help you move forward.

Best Wishes,