AMDR
“ COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of the linear production model , or ‘ take , make and then waste ’ supply chain system we ’ ve embraced ”
DANIEL J . VUKELICH , ESQ . PRESIDENT & CEO OF AMDR
other steps , select ‘ single-use ’ devices to a majority of US hospitals ,” explains Vukelich . “ By reprocessing with FDA-regulated vendors , hospitals reduce cost , reduce waste and emissions , and build resilience into the supply chain by extending the life of these medical devices .”
Sustainable solutions post-pandemic The pandemic has impacted every industry , but healthcare has , of course , borne the brunt of it . Despite the obvious negativities , in one sense , the pandemic has been beneficial in that it brought some existing long-term problems to the fore .
“ COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of the linear production model , or ‘ take , make and then waste ’ supply chain system we ’ ve embraced – which itself is a driver of greenhouse gas emissions ,” says Vukelich . “ This model creates waste , inefficiency and vulnerability , because after one use , we toss these products .”
This is why the healthcare sector is one of the largest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in the overall economy . But by reusing materials – through FDA-regulated practices like the reprocessing of certain , single-use devices – Vukelich believes that the sector can keep products closer to home
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