As medical practices are seeking to maximize efficiency, the sterilization procedure represents labor time and costs which may not be adequately captured in office cost analyses. Single-use instruments ensure 100% sterilization with 0% risk of disease transmission at an affordable cost.
Facts:
- Sterilization can cost between $8 (pH neutral method) and $100 (steam method) per load, amounting to tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. (source: Garcia-Ochoa “Cost Analysis on Three Sterilization Methods”)
- Each sterilization load can take minutes to hours of staff time, reducing the number of patients that can be seen each day.
- US sales of capital equipment for sterilization are projected to exceed $1 billion in 2008. (source: Sterilization Technologies Advancing in the 21st Century)
Click here [PDF, 84K] to discover the hidden costs of reuse in your practice.