Healthcare Industry News: PHOENIX
News Release - April 17, 2008
University HealthSystem Consortium Extends Exclusive Agreement with Ascent Healthcare Solutions for Medical Device Reprocessing
Significant Cost Savings and Waste Reduction Cited in New AgreementPHOENIX, Ariz.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Ascent Healthcare Solutions announced today that University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) has extended its exclusive contract for medical device reprocessing for an additional year, to May 2009. Under the agreement, UHC’s 101 academic medical centers and 178 affiliated hospital members can continue to benefit from the significant savings in supply and disposal costs generated by Ascent’s single-use medical device (SUD) reprocessing services. In 2007, reprocessing through Ascent, the leading independent third-party reprocessor of medical devices in North America, saved UHC members an estimated $8.1 million in supply costs and $38,000 in disposal costs while eliminating 76 tons of medical waste from landfills. Cumulative cost savings since 2000 for UHC members is more than $36 million.
With Ascent’s catalog of more than 80 510(k)s cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), UHC members can safely maximize their savings and environmental stewardship by taking advantage of the broad range of reprocessed cardiovascular, endoscopic/laparoscopic, general surgery/OR, orthopedic/arthroscopic, gastroenterology, respiratory and ophthalmology devices as well as recycling services that Ascent offers. Reprocessed devices typically cost about half as much as purchasing a new device. The resulting savings, which can exceed $1 million for a large system, can be applied to patient programs, clinical staffing, the purchase of new medical technologies or other initiatives proven to enhance patient care.
Cindy White, Vice President of Operations of UHC, said: “We are pleased to be able to continue our relationship with Ascent and to bring maximum value to UHC members.”
Rick Ferreira, Chief Operating Officer of Ascent, stated, “We are proud of our long-standing relationship with UHC, and pleased to continue providing a service that helps our hospital and medical center partners deliver the safest and best healthcare to their patients while also benefiting the environment.”
About University HealthSystem Consortium
The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), formed in 1984, is an alliance of 101 academic medical centers and 178 of their affiliated hospitals representing approximately 90% of the nation’s non-profit academic medical centers. UHC offers its members specific programs and services to improve clinical, operational and patient safety performance. The mission of the University HealthSystem Consortium is to advance knowledge, foster collaboration, and promote change to help members succeed in their respective markets. For more information about University HealthSystem Consortium, please visit http://www.uhc.edu/.
About Ascent Healthcare Solutions
Since its inception, Ascent Healthcare Solutions, the leading independent third-party reprocessor of single-use medical devices (SUDs), has reprocessed more than 50 million SUDs, saving its customers in excess of $500 million in supply expenses and eliminating over 10,000 tons from local landfills. Ascent’s 1,700 hospital partners include most of the U.S. News and World Report “Honor Roll” hospitals. The company has agreements with all leading national group purchasing organizations as well as numerous nationally recognized hospital integrated delivery networks. Ascent has also been recognized as a “Champion for Change” by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) in recognition of the dramatic environmental benefits reprocessing by Ascent provides to U.S. hospitals and surgery centers. For more information about Ascent Healthcare Solutions, visit www.ascenths.com.
Source: Ascent Healthcare Solutions
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