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Sustainable Technologies and Innovative Health aiming to strengthen cardiology device reprocessing capabilities and reduce environmental impact

Setting the standard for medical device reprocessing
U.S. hospitals are increasingly looking to medical device reprocessing as a long-term strategy to save money, reduce their waste and greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen their supply chains. Cardinal Health’s Sustainable Technologies™ business is working to meet this demand and help hospitals achieve significant savings through single-use device (SUD) collections and reprocessing services. A report by the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors noted that in 2021, U.S. hospitals and surgical centers saved more than $412 million through reprocessing.

“With patient safety at the forefront, leveraging a single-use device reprocessing program helps hospitals properly extend the life of a medical device and contribute to a stronger circular economy,” said Meg McClanahan, Global Portfolio Director of Sustainable Technologies. “Our business provides hospitals with financial and environmental sustainability as they continually face increasing costs, challenges growing revenue and ongoing pressure to decrease their environmental impact.”

Reducing their environmental footprint is a growing concern for hospitals and the broader healthcare industry, which is a leading producer of waste. Predictions show that global greenhouse gas emissions coming from the healthcare sector could reach six gigatons (equivalent to the mass of roughly 36 million blue whales) a year by 2050.

That’s why the industry is particularly focused on circular economy solutions aimed at keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible. Historically, healthcare has been dominated by linear, production-to-consumption models (e.g., SUDs) focused on minimizing the infection risk to patients. However, such models over time have led to a substantial number of devices labeled “single use” by manufacturers and ultimately, large amounts of waste when these devices could be reprocessed.

“Over the last 20 years, reprocessed devices have been proven to function equivalent to new devices and represent no additional patient risk – thanks to strict oversight and additional regulations put in place by the FDA,” McClanahan said. “Hospitals and clinicians trust the use of reprocessed devices, and reprocessors that obtain clearances are among the most sophisticated medical technology companies.”

Driving sustainability in cardiology device reprocessing
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) and other electrophysiology (EP) procedures are growing at a rapid pace due to increased patient diagnoses and new technology enabling EP labs to successfully treat more complicated cases. EP procedures are one of the fastest growing procedures in the United States, with catheter ablation procedures (e.g., minimally invasive procedure used to treat abnormal heart rhythms) growing 10% annually. AFib procedures alone have grown by almost 17% per year. In the United States in 2020, the annual cost on devices used in AFib procedures was estimated to be $2.5B.

Single-use device reprocessing is a strategy that can significantly reduce procedure costs, without increased patient safety or infection risks. Hospitals using reprocessed SUDs in ablation procedures can dramatically reduce the costs of catheter ablations, especially in AFib procedures, where the most expensive devices within ablation procedures are used. Using reprocessed SUDs in an AFib procedure reduces costs by almost 30% (more than $3,000). Hospitals today can derive significant savings from their cardiology reprocessing programs.

To continue meeting the growing demand for reprocessing and advance into a new market, Cardinal Health’s Sustainable Technologies entered into an agreement with Innovative Health, a specialty reprocessing company and leader in cardiology device reprocessing. The agreement expands product portfolio offerings for Sustainable Technologies in an area historically not included in its reprocessing program.

“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, Innovative Health. “We are proud to be invited to participate in their company’s device reprocessing program to drive cost savings for their partner hospitals.”

Founded in 2015 by a team of reprocessing pioneers, Innovative Health helps EP labs reduce procedure costs, so they can adopt newer and better technology and improve patient care. With FDA clearances to reprocess nearly 50 advanced EP and cardiology devices – among some of the most expensive and complex medical devices used – the company offers an impactful portfolio of products in the market, both in terms of savings and carbon emission reduction.

“Working with an industry leader like Innovative Health represents a significant strengthening of our reprocessing offering and our ability to drive cost savings. Innovative Health has built the industry’s strongest portfolio in cardiology device reprocessing, and the company delivers through a proven service model that provides meaningful savings for the hospital,” said McClanahan.

Moving forward, Sustainable Technologies customers will have the option of enrolling in the Innovative Health program, which includes access to a comprehensive reprocessed EP and cardiology device portfolio, enabling customers to realize potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.

Healthcare’s most trusted partner
Sustainable Technologies and Innovative Health are members of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR). AMDR represents commercial reprocessing globally and protects the industry in regulation, legislation and standard setting worldwide. The association has become the guardian of the founding principles of reprocessing, making it a standard practice across U.S. hospitals.

With the increased call to make healthcare more sustainable, as well as growing patient needs and healthcare costs, the demand for reprocessing solutions in the United States and globally is expected to rise. Cardinal Health is looking forward to continuing to meet such demand and deliver the solutions customers need.

“At Cardinal Health we believe that reprocessing will be increasingly important to healthcare customers to help reduce costs and drive sustainability goals, so it’s a real win-win,” said Megan Maltenfort, Vice President, Environmental, Social and Governance. “The goals of our Sustainable Technologies business align with Cardinal Health’s objective to be healthcare's most trusted partner. The business delivers cost savings, supply resiliency and sustainable solutions through its single-use device reprocessing program, now expanded to include a robust cardiology portfolio.”