United Hospital Center honored for commitment to health care sustainability
BRIDGEPORT — A North Central West Virginia hospital has been recognized for its process of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing its reusable medical devices.
Stryker's Sustainability Solutions presented WVU Medicine United Hospital Center with its Environmental Excellence Award for demonstrating leadership in health care "sustainability and overall hospital quality through single-use device reprocessing," according to a hospital press release.
Single-use processing involves cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing devices that are intended for single use after they have been used on a patient and then reusing them. In 2024, the UHC reprocessing program successfully diverted 1,184 pounds of medical waste from landfills due to its reprocessing program that is supported by Stryker.
In health care, reprocessing refers to the process of cleaning, disinfecting, or sterilizing reusable medical devices to ensure they are safe for reuse on other patients. This practice is essential to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections and other adverse health outcomes. Reprocessing involves a series of steps, including initial decontamination, thorough cleaning, and either disinfection or sterilization, depending on the device's intended use and the materials from which it's made.
'Stryker is pleased to honor UHC's continued dedication to achieving both environmental and financial sustainability,' Natalie Ward, vice president and general manager of Stryker's Sustainability Solutions, said. 'With a heightened focus on improving value in today's healthcare environment, UHC leads by example with their commitment to sustainability initiatives that reduce costs and optimize resources in order to support quality care.'
Leading hospitals across the nation are continuing to pursue initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of health care delivery. Among these initiatives, single-use device reprocessing stands out as an environmental practice that not only dramatically reduces the amount of medical waste, but, at the same time, it frees significant resources for the hospital — all without capital investment.
'In today's health care environment, there is a heightened focus to minimize the environmental footprint,' Liberty Kincaid, manager of supply chain utilization at UHC, said. 'At UHC, we are committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, all while continuing to provide excellent care to our patients.'
UHC is in the distinguished company of other leading hospitals that are implementing reprocessing programs, which are currently employed by nearly all the U.S. News & World Report 'Honor Roll' hospitals.
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