Скачать или смотреть Hospitals under fire for reusing single-use medical equipment

Hospitals in Taiwan have come under fire for reusing surgical equipment intended for one-time use. A print media outlet reported that several hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital, have made a practice of using single-use devices over and over again. Today NTU Hospital confirmed that it does reuse some single-use supplies, but only after thorough disinfection and when there are no safety risks. The hospital said this was done to cut costs for patients who need expensive equipment not covered by health insurance.Bipolar electrosurgical instruments like these are intended for single use only. Several hospitals have come under scrutiny for using single-use equipment multiple times. Some of these hospitals are among Taiwan''s best.Voice of Wang Tyng-gueyNTU Hospital spokesmanFor example, when the unit cost is fairly high, or when the physician has determined that the equipment can be reused and evidence shows that there are no safety concerns. Only in such cases will we send a request to the committee. Only a few cases are approved for a set number of reuses.NTU Hospital admitted that it has reused expensive single-use surgical equipment, including harmonic scalpels and laparoscopic sealers, by up to five times. The hospital said this was done to help patients save money on equipment not covered by insurance. It emphasized that the equipment was always thoroughly disinfected, but it''s still coming under from critics.Hsu Chih-chaoTaiwan Healthcare Reform FoundationBefore you try to save money, you should think about whether you''re risking the health or even the life of your patient. If, for the sake of saving NT$20,000 or NT$30,000, you do something that leads to post-surgical infection or even death, you''ll end up paying out much more than NT$20,000 or NT$30,000.The government said that manufacturers clearly state that single-use medical equipment should not be reused. But officials said they would look into making exceptions for more expensive medical equipment. Officials plan to convene a meeting with medical groups and consumer representatives within two weeks to discuss the matter.