VHA reports savings with medical device reprocessing companies

Healthcare cooperative VHA Inc. reports that its members have saved a total of $25 million through agreements with two medical device reprocessing companies since April 2002.

More than 450 VHA member organizations are participating in contracts with third-party reprocessing firms Alliance Corp. in Phoenix, and Vanguard Medical Concepts Inc. of Lakeland, Fla., to ensure that reprocessed devices comply with FDA regulatory requirements.

A 2002 FDA survey reported that 45 percent of hospitals with more than 250 beds reprocess medical devices, with 84 percent of those hospitals using third-party reprocessing companies.

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