USA — GE Healthcare has joined forces with ReLink Medical in an innovative partnership aimed at addressing the growing issue of medical device waste among healthcare providers.
This collaborative endeavor focuses on selling, recycling, or donating equipment that is no longer in use, ultimately streamlining healthcare operations and reducing costs.
GE Healthcare, an US$18.3 billion independent entity that evolved from GE, encompasses medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and digital solutions.
Its diverse portfolio includes imaging, ultrasound, patient care solutions, and pharmaceutical diagnostics. In contrast, ReLink Medical specializes in healthcare technology, specifically asset disposition.
Efficient medical equipment waste management
Healthcare providers annually phase out approximately ten percent of their medical assets, a practice that, when managed independently, can be labor-intensive and laden with hidden costs.
In the wake of cost pressures induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare institutions are increasingly prioritizing budget management and cost-saving strategies.
The collaboration’s primary objective is to assist healthcare providers in unearthing potential cost savings through medical device waste management.
As GE Healthcare points out, about 10% of medical assets are retired by healthcare providers each year, leaving room for substantial cost-saving opportunities in their waste management processes.
Mohamed El-Demerdash, President of U.S. and Canada Service for GE HealthCare, underlines the often-overlooked expense incurred by healthcare providers due to medical device waste. This category includes aging or end-of-life medical devices that remain idle in providers’ inventories.
El-Demerdash explains, “With this collaboration, GE HealthCare will help healthcare providers manage their clinical devices for the full lifecycle of their equipment, a true wing-to-wing solution, from capital planning and purchasing to maintenance and final disposition of the equipment.”
Addressing the environmental impact
Reducing the healthcare industry’s environmental impact has gained significant importance. Recent initiatives, such as Honeywell’s partnership with Recipharm to develop eco-friendly inhalers, exemplify this trend.
Cardinal Health also announced plans to enhance waste reduction and energy efficiency at its facilities and transportation fleet.
GE Healthcare and ReLink Medical offer a comprehensive solution for handling medical devices that are no longer in use.
When medical equipment is resold, a portion of the proceeds is returned to the healthcare provider as credits, which can be employed for the purchase of new equipment or parts.
These credits can also be directed toward technician and engineer training, on-demand services (e.g., deinstallations or hospital modernization projects), or redeemed through wire transfers or checks from ReLink Medical.
ReLink reports that its process diverts more than 6 million pounds of medical waste from landfills each year.
Beyond medical waste management, the partnership between these two companies also facilitates equipment transport for redeployment between clinical sites and offers long-term storage solutions for healthcare providers at offsite locations.
Jeff Dalton, CEO of ReLink Medical, stated, “This collaboration signifies a significant step forward in revolutionizing asset management solutions and empowering healthcare organizations with the tools and technologies needed to optimize their equipment utilization.
“It leverages ReLink Medical’s expertise in equipment disposition, surplus management, and inventory optimization to complement GE Healthcare’s comprehensive suite of healthcare solutions.”
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