When a Medical Device Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Makers of orthopedic products don't always have it easy. Even though hospitals pay only for the implants they use, OEMs are still required to provide the necessary surgical instruments. As a result, thousands of instrument kits distributed nationwide for multiple product lines must be managed. Then, as new items enter the market, instruments are often lost or thrown out, leaving millions of dollars of unused inventory scattered across the country. What's an OEM to do?

One solution to the problem has been recycling. Recycling lets OEMs get already-manufactured instruments back on the market much more effectively. Furthermore, the money saved by recycling allows OEMs to pass on the savings to their customers.

Several companies are in the business of recycling and redistributing medical devices for OEMs. One company, Millstone Medical Outsourcing, has developed a recycling program for orthopedic products that has saved more than $3 billion for one of its customers. Intrigued? You can read more about the benefits of instrument recycling in MPMN's September issue.

This month's e-newsletter includes links to company information for several of our advertisers. It's our way of saying thank you to them for supporting our efforts to keep our readers informed of the latest sourcing news.

Corinne Litchfield
Associate Editor, MPMN

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