Responsible Medical Device Strategies Saved Hospitals Millions of Dollars in 2009

Remanufacturing programs helped hospitals control costs while reducing their environmental footprint

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascent, the market leader in the remanufacturing of medical devices in the U.S., announced today that its hospital partners realized hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings through the use of medical device remanufacturing programs in 2009. On a per-hospital basis, some hospitals saved more than $600,000 per year. Ascent’s programs also helped customers reduce their environmental footprint by diverting an estimated 5.3 million pounds of total waste from landfills.

“Hospitals are under significant pressures to control costs. For our customers, a focus on systemic supply chain solutions that optimize resources has proven beneficial”

“Hospitals are under significant pressures to control costs. For our customers, a focus on systemic supply chain solutions that optimize resources has proven beneficial,” said Rick Ferreira, president of Ascent. “Our customers realize it’s not just about having the best product; it’s about having the best product while considering how using that product impacts the hospital’s performance overall. Ascent’s remanufacturing programs give hospitals a strategy for medical devices that allows them to not only save money, but deploy more of their scarce resources to enhancing patient care through quality initiatives while reducing their environmental footprint.”

Serving 1,800 leading hospitals, Ascent tracks savings realized by its customers year-over-year. Cost savings resulting from Ascent’s remanufacturing programs were up more than 20 percent in 2009 and were up more than 50 percent versus 2007. While the savings are noteworthy, Ascent sees room for even more significant savings to the healthcare system in the future.

Reprocessing is catching the attention of world renowned health care institutions. A recent study by Johns Hopkins researchers concluded that reprocessing offers hospitals a viable and safe solution for curbing costs while reducing their environmental footprint. The study results were published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Academic Medicine: http://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Fulltext/2010/03000/Commentary__A_Call_to_Go_Green_in_Health_Care_by.10.aspx#.

“Ascent is committed to creating better medical technology solutions to benefit patients and hospitals by combining our safety and quality standards with a focus on sustainability and cost consciousness. Our results demonstrate this commitment, and the potential for further growth is significant as hospitals more fully embrace medical device reprocessing and remanufacturing,” said Ferreira.

ABOUT ASCENT
Ascent is the leading provider of reprocessing (cleaning, testing/verifying, packaging and sterilizing) and remanufacturing (disassembling, repairing and manufacturing) services for medical devices as well as comprehensive recycling and redistribution initiatives. Ascent’s programs target inefficient practices and reclaim and redirect consumable and financial resources in order to promote healthy and responsible hospitals. Ascent has been recognized as a “Champion for Change” by Practice Greenhealth for the dramatic environmental benefits its programs provide. Ascent counts as it customers most of the “Honor Roll” hospitals as recognized by U.S. News & World Report. Ascent has agreements with all leading national group purchasing organizations as well as numerous nationally recognized hospital integrated delivery networks. Ascent is a division of Stryker Corporation. For more information about Ascent, visit www.ascenths.com.