A Medical Device Daily

Ascent Healthcare Solutions (Phoenix), a third-party reprocessor of medical devices, said that Banner Health (also Phoenix) has renewed its exclusive contract with Ascent for reprocessing services.

According to Ascent, Banner cites benefits in patient safety, healthcare costs and environmental stewardship for its seven-state system of hospitals and healthcare facilities as key factors in the renewal that will save an estimated $5.6 million in supply costs and $75,000 in waste management while diverting 27.4 tons from already overtaxed landfills over the three-year term.

"We are proud of our standing in the communities we serve, providing vital healthcare services to our patients," said Doug Bowen, Banner's VP of materials management. "We take very seriously our responsibility to delivering superior patient care as well as our commitment to financial and environmental sustainability. Ascent continues to deliver significant value to Banner and our community, and we believe an additional layer of safety has been created due to the rigorous screening and testing Ascent performs on each reprocessed device."

Since contracting for reprocessing services, Banner says it has reduced supply costs by more than $5.1 million and diverted nearly 42,000 tons from local landfills.

With more than 80 products cleared by FDA for reprocessing, Ascent offers a range of reprocessed cardiovascular, endoscopic/laparoscopic, general surgery, orthopedic/arthroscopic, gastroenterology, respiratory and ophthalmology devices.

"Banner Health's extensive organization spans a broad spectrum of healthcare delivery needs," said Kevin Liszewski, Ascent's VP of corporate accounts. "We are proud to support Banner's mission of providing high-quality care in an environmentally responsible manner."