High “ROI” For Disinfection System That Reduces Healthcare’s Environmental Burden

In July 2020, the USA Children’s Hospital, a 183-bed facility, acquired three Rapid UVC Disinfection Systems [RDS-32a] to automate the disinfection process for all non-critical objects, tools, electronics and devices.?When informed of the success other facilities enjoyed in using the RDS-32a to also disinfect unused, unopened patient supplies that were previously discarded [“PSRP” Patient Supply Recovery Program]; the Nursing Director was inspired to institute a program for that as well.

Their efforts resulted in an immediate month-to-month savings of $100,000 in the first 7 months of the program. It also reduced some of the daily product supply challenges they had been experiencing as well.?The RDS 32a gave this hospital a 952% return on their investment.

Return on Investment, or simply ROI, is a familiar catchphrase for those of us trying to justify a piece of equipment for any business, including healthcare.?Recently, it was noted that healthcare costs are rising drastically.?“The dramatic rise in costs of labor, drugs, supplies, and equipment continue to put enormous pressure on our ability to provide care to our patients and communities. The pandemic has clearly demonstrated that America cannot be strong without its hospitals and health systems being strong.” (ICT, Pollack 2022)

The disposal of unused, unopened packaged supplies has direct costs in terms of their purchase value, indirect costs associated with their disposal, as well as a substantial environmental burden. Thus, the possibility of disinfecting these items rather than discarding them is attractive and generates both financial and environmental benefits to any health facility. Unfortunately, manual disinfection is not feasible, because of their high volume, their complex shape and structure, and the reliance on the operator to ensure adequate coverage and contact time of the disinfectant, IE: The “Human Error” Factor.

An ROI of 952% - Here’s how they did it:

• They retrieved unopened Packaged Patient Supplies that had been placed on the bed at patient discharge or transfer and put them in a storage cage for 30 days. This time assures that surface pathogens are inactivated.
• At 30-days, the supplies are cycled through the RDS-32a for disinfection
• The supplies are then completely disinfected and placed back into inventory

The RDS-32a Rapid UVC Decontamination System can disinfect unused, unopened patient supplies for an immediate dollar-for-dollar savings.?Here are a few points to gain perspective of the importance of this:

1.?????Restocking prevents supplies from premature disposal into the waste stream and automatically credits the expense and inventory of the reclaimed supply back to the account that purchased it.

2.?????Studies show that even a 5% savings on patient supply waste in a 200-Bed facility could generate a hard dollar savings of $740,000 in unopened, unused patient supplies the first year.

3.?????Green Initiative Benefit - a hospital generates 29 pounds of waste per bed, per day. For perspective, consider that a 200-bed hospital generates approximately 2.0 million pounds of waste annually. About fifteen percent of this waste is biological. The remaining, non-medical waste is sent to a landfill. With an estimated disposal expense of 57 cents per-pound, the annual expense for non-medical waste is nearly $1.02 million.

?TMG Health Technologies is a biosafety company dedicated to the art and science of infection prevention. They provide fast, effective decontamination solutions that lead to improved patient outcomes, cost containment, and operational savings. Our current Rapid Decontamination System Series sets the industry benchmark. It has simplified the infection prevention protocol to a one-step process by providing a certified, repeatable, high-level standard of disinfection for electronics, patient tools, personal effects as well as unused, unopened patient supplies. Learn more on our website https://tmghealthtech.com