Hospitals around the country have begun cleaning and reusing medical equipment labeled for one-time use.

The goals are to help cut soaring health costs and waste in an industry that is among the largest contributors to landfills.

Many hospital workers, who routinely have to throw away what seems like perfectly durable devices, given a boost to the trend.

At least 25 percent of hospitals,and probably a lot more, are reprocessing equipment, according to a study lead by Dr. Martin A. Makary, a surgeon and associate professor of public health at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. I wrote about the trend in today's Sun.

Some manufacturers and patient advocates do not think this is a good idea because items labeled for single use may not be able to withstand harsh cleaning techniques and may fail or cleaning may not rid the devices of all debris.

The Food and Drug Administration increased oversight after a 2002 bill was passed and now inspects reprocessing facilities and regulates which items can be reprocessed and how many times. A GAO study on reprocessing in 2008 found no elevated risk, though officials acknowledged there wasn't much research. 

So, would it bother you to know your blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter or lapascopic port was being cleaned and reused? Or would it bother you to know they threw it away after it was used on only you?

Baltimore Sun photo of Dr. Martin Makary/Ken Lam