Innovative Health, Inc. has announced that the hospital recipients of its annual sustainability awards reduced their carbon emissions by an average of 7,219 pounds in 2022, while simultaneously saving an average of $544,662 on device costs. The recipients of the awards, which honor hospitals that have demonstrated their commitment to more-sustainable practices by leveraging reprocessed single-use devices in their EP and cath labs, represent leading hospitals that are rejecting common greenwashing tactics and are instead doubling down on the need to foster a circular economy in healthcare.
The importance of reprocessing programs as it relates to healthcare sustainability was recently highlighted in a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, which specifically called out the problematic nature of designing products for single use: “Reliance on single-use disposable medical supplies and devices not only leaves health systems vulnerable to supply chain disruptions […], but they are frequently cited as containing higher life cycle emissions per use compared with equivalent application of reusable alternatives. Healthcare organizations should strongly encourage and facilitate resource stewardship.”
“Strong environmental and financial stewardship in healthcare today requires hospitals to build robust reprocessing programs,” said Innovative Health CEO Rick Ferreira. “As the recipients of Innovative Health’s sustainability awards illustrate, it’s about more than financial savings. It’s about reducing the carbon footprint of hospitals and building a more sustainable supply chain for the future.”
Innovative Health’s sustainability awards were presented to hospitals following a banner year for the medical device reprocessor. In addition to growing the number of hospitals that benefit from its reprocessing services by nearly 30 percent, Innovative Health grew savings for its customers by 20 percent in 2022. The number of clients saving more than $500,000 grew by 18 percent, with many realizing savings in excess of $1 million. Across the board, Innovative Health increased its CO2 emission reductions for clients by 15 percent year over year, representing a more than 280,000-pound carbon footprint reduction.
