Refurbishment is a systematic process bringing used equipment to the same condition as when new or even better. Such activity provides for important benefits both from an environmentaland  social perspective.

Refurbishing a medical equipment means extending the life time of the equipment itself, normally from 5/7 to 10/14 years or even more, therefore it qualifies as a form or reuse and waste prevention. This practice saves the energy and the materials used to produce a new device.

Beyond these important environemental benefits, the business that can develop around refurbishing used medical equipment creates a robust and sustainable economy in those countries where there is a generally accepted framework for processing such advanced equipment.

 GOOD REFURBISHMENT PRACTICE

COCIR members considered in 2007 that there was a vacuum in establishing how to efficiently and safely refurbish medical equipment and thus COCIR established a focus group to establish commony golden rules. 

The Good Refurbishment Process was developed and a paper was published in 2007 which was shared among policy makers, regulators and other key stakeholders.

COCIR considered the definition of golden rules would contribute significantly in extending equipment’s shelf-life without affecting safety, while reducing environmental impact and contributing to the recycling economy.

The process described in 5 key steps is aimed at making sure the equipment remains safe during its useful life and remains as good as when new. 

Responding to the positive feedback received from various stakeholders, COCIR decided to issue an industry standard, which was released on the occasion of COCIR’s 50th Anniversary in June 2009 and decided to revise the GRP paper to take into account all comments received since its initial publication

The version 2 published in 2009 got global endorsement as the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) in the USA and the Japan Industries Association of Radiological Systems (JIRA) decided to support this process.