Collection Systems

Ascent has developed very effective collection systems and a collection awareness program which enhance savings and promotes the environmental aspects of reprocessing. Our collection systems are tailored to each clinical area where collections for reprocessable devices take place and they meet all federal and state regulations.

Our unique collection awareness program increases facility-wide adoption by providing a variety of reminder-and-results posters, containers and signage that positively reinforce the financial and environmental benefits. With our collection systems and awareness tools, Ascent's dedicated field service representatives sort, pack and ship collected devices, freeing in-house hospital personnel to do what they do best—care for patients.

Ascent-provided collection systems are compliant with Department of Transportation (DOT) shipping regulations. Our approved transportation carrier has certified approval for our regulatory compliant shipping system.

Since operating rooms are busy and dynamic places, potentially making collection challenging, Ascent offers two distinct and specifically designed collection systems for the Operating Room environment: Advantage™ and ORSelect™. (For other areas of the hospital such as the EP Lab, GI Lab, CVOR, etc., we offer additional collection systems.)

Advantage™
Advantage™ is an O.R.-based collection system that is convenient, time-saving and well received by staff. This program both supports the hospital’s environmental initiatives and provides collection for reprocessable devices. Advantage™ facilitates the capture of more devices by replacing the large red sharps container in the OR with Ascent’s approved and reusable collection container system and a small, standard sharps container currently used by the hospital in other areas. This set up allows for collecting not only the reprocessable devices, but most recyclable materials while still separating out true medical "sharps."

Participating hospitals realize a 70-80% reduction in operating room medical waste disposal costs year after year. Hence, with Advantage™ the hospital enhances its environmental stewardship in its community. Ascent provides medical waste reductions that can be reported to Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). The cost savings from not purchasing large red sharps containers and the reduction in waste removal cost cover the small Advantage implementation fee and provide cost savings within the first few months. There are prestigious awards through which hospital staff can celebrate their successes in their communities.

ORSelect™
ORSelect™ is the traditional O.R.-based collection modality of the reprocessing industry. This collection program consists of adding a reusable container to the O.R. suite and requiring staff to "select" and source separate reprocessable devices. These hospital-approved and selected devices are put into the collection container and shipped to our production facilities for reprocessing.

In some cases, even if devices are collected under the previous two programs, the responsibility of shipping collected devices is up to the hospital (rural facilities being an example). For these hospitals that choose to manage their own programs we offer ServiceExpress™ (see below). Ascent's extensive experience allows us to simplify device collection, minimizing training time and maximizing hospital staff resources.

ServiceExpress™
ServiceExpress™ is designed for the hospital or surgery center that wants to reprocess, but which may be located in a remote rural area or opts to only participate in one or few programs. Each ServiceExpress™ facility works with a dedicated ServiceExpress™ Administrator at Ascent headquarters who serves as the primary service contact and monitors the reprocessing program to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and overall productivity.