Last updated on September 3, 2019
Do you know that hospital acquired infections (HAIs) can have a direct correlation to reprocessed medical devices according to a Johns Hopkins study published in October 2018?1 Have you read that The ECRI Institute, an independent and trusted authority on healthcare practices and products that improve the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of patient care, listed “Mishandling Flexible Endoscopes after Disinfection Can Lead to Patient Infections” with an emphasis on reprocessing on the “2019 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards”?2
Healthcare facilities are becoming more concerned about reprocessing single-use devices (SUDs) which are devices intended for one-time use on a single patient during a single procedure. A safety communication issued by the FDA in April 2019 outlined issues regarding physical defects, performance issues, and improper decontamination associated with reprocessing of SUDs.3
Patient-centered care and accountability, cost-savings, and environmental concerns have led to the practice of recycling SUDs. With recycling, HAIs related to reprocessing of SUDs may be eliminated, the carbon footprint will be decreased, and the environment will not be burdened from medical devices being disposed of in landfills.
Your SUD recycling partner is Sharps Compliance. Sharps offers the TakeAway Recycle System for the safe collection, storage, transport, and recycling of SUDs. This cost-effective solution allows organizations to reduce risk while addressing environmental concerns. Almost all single-use medical devices are composed of materials that can be recycled so the TakeAway Recycle System ensures that all of the collected materials are recycled down to their basic commodities. SUDs that are normally destined for reprocessing, the landfill, or treatment as medical waste are collected from multiple healthcare facilities and departments, i.e., the sterile processing department, and then shipped to Sharps by common carrier for recycling.
The TakeAway Recycle System helps your healthcare facility avoid potential fines and citations by controlling potential infection caused by reprocessed SUDs. It also saves your organization’s bottom line by eliminating the costs and pitfalls of reprocessed SUDs.
The TakeAway Recycle System is compliant with OSHA and DOT and complements your sustainability initiatives.
1 – Endoscopy-related infections found higher than expected, prophylaxis overused
2 – 2019 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards