In June 2018, Medivators (Cantel Medical Company) installed the state’s first Advantage Plus Pass-Thru automated endoscope reprocessor in Hennepin Healthcare sterile processing department and specialty center. ADVANTAGE PLUS Pass-Thru AER got FDA clearance in April 2018. Company expanded its product portfolio in the U.S for higher infection control along with enhanced workflow optimization.

The AER machine includes a physical barrier isolating spotless and messy reprocessing zones. The other parts incorporate a continuous leak detection framework, remote diagnostic capabilities, digital storage cabinets for tracking the reprocessing cycle, utilized with high level disinfectants, extensive cycle data management and others.

Around 20 million gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures are performed annually in the U.S., the overall growth is attributed to rising endoscopy procedures and higher adoption of top end models in more than 75% of the hospitals and clinics in the U.S.

Most of the contamination control procedures incorporate a lengthy compliance audit, professional training to help execute new accepted guidelines along with new technology and financial support to help particular disease control activities. However, in spite of best infection control practices, reprocessing of flexible endoscopes is one zone of the protocols that requires additional time and consideration. As per specialists and medical device experts, controlling and counteracting contaminations have constrained hospitals, ambulatory service centers and clinics around the world to receive automated endoscope reprocessors and is essentially impelling business development in the healthcare sector.

Analyst View

The present industry standards are insufficient to guarantee full patient safety along with accurate & positive results.

In view of recent advances in reprocessing innovation in the AER machines, there is an opportunity, as an industry, to grasp all inclusive recognized & accepted procedures and guidelines and minimizes the effect of hospital acquired infections or other infections while endoscope transfer. With a whole new approach, medical device industry experts can help doctors or physicians and their patients realize that each endoscope is protected and prepared for each & every procedure.

In nations where overall financial performance can be increased through efficiency enhancements, change to automated reprocessing has a positive direct effect on revenue related execution. Manual cleaning may put patients in danger of with respect to pathogens prompting diseases. Change from manual cleaning to utilization of AERs, as prescribed by the World Gastroenterology Organization, may create cost and other financial balances that could deliver coordinate monetary benefits for some endoscopy units in countries like India, Russia and China.