The hidden cost of compliance: Why outdated IFUs are costing hospitals millions
Ambiguity around medical equipment cleaning and handling is more than a compliance issue. It slows care, drives up costs and undermines staff confidence.
During a recent discussion hosted by Becker’s Healthcare, Brooke Hossfeld, Infection Prevention Specialist at Sodexo Healthcare, and Scott Varnum, Vice President of Operations for Healthcare Technology Management at Sodexo Healthcare, explored how misaligned instructions for use (IFUs) disrupt hospital operations and what health systems can do to improve efficiency, cut costs and remain survey ready.
Here are three key takeaways from the conversation:
1. Outdated and inconsistent IFUs
IFUs, the manufacturer’s guidance on cleaning and maintaining medical equipment, are often outdated, hard to find or inconsistent in format.
Sodexo had been tracking IFU issues even before recent Joint Commission updates. At the 2025 APIC conference, infection preventionists reported that many IFUs are outdated, confusing and inaccessible. Some are buried on manufacturers’ websites, get lost when companies merge or are acquired and their websites are combined, or disappear altogether. Others are written in foreign languages or fail to reflect newer disinfectant chemicals that have been introduced to the healthcare market.
The use of harsh chemicals is raising industry concerns, as they can cause equipment damage. For example, disinfectants like bleach may degrade mattress covers more quickly, forcing hospitals into costly replacements.
“The process teams are following is actually voiding manufacturer warranties of products or causing physical damage,” said Mr. Varnum. “It’s increasing the amount of waste in parts or vendor service spend.”
2. Responsibility matters
When multiple teams share responsibility for cleaning and equipment management, accountability often falls through the cracks. Infection preventionists, environmental services, sterile processing and clinical staff may all assume someone else is responsible.
“Many times, folks don’t know who’s responsible, which is the same as saying no one’s responsible,” said Ms. Hossfeld. “The ultimate challenge is who is responsible? And that could be just a large waste of efficiency and end up costing the hospital millions.”
This uncertainty wastes time; delays patient transfers and increases infection risk. Portable medical equipment is especially vulnerable. According to Mr. Varnum, 10% to 20% of mobile assets go missing each year, with infusion pumps sometimes hidden in ceiling tiles or drawers by staff trying to ensure access. The result: delays, added rental costs and frustrated clinicians.
3. Improving safety and workflows
To address these challenges, Sodexo has piloted centralized portable equipment management solutions that bring together EVS, infection prevention and healthcare technology management expertise. The model creates dedicated teams responsible for cleaning, disinfecting and tracking equipment.
Citing a randomized controlled trial in Australia, Ms. Hossfeld noted that a centralized team responsible solely on cleaning and disinfection portable medical equipment reduced healthcare-associated infections by 35%. Real-world saving for hospitals could be in hundreds of thousands of dollars from this factor alone.
Health systems that centralize equipment management, supported by technology such as Sodexo’s PEMS system and efficient teams, can improve patient flow, reduce infection risk and strengthen staff confidence. PEMS streamlines these efforts by providing a single platform to track equipment, access IFUs, monitor disinfection compliance and ensure devices are ready for use.
Mr. Varnum also highlighted advances in real-time location systems that allow hospitals to monitor inventory, ensure equipment is charged and cleaned, and reduce staff time spent searching. Both speakers emphasized the importance of aligning people, processes and technology.
“This is fundamental and needs constant attention,” Mr. Varnum said. “There’s not less equipment in our hospitals; there’s more at the bedside every day. I’m really excited about the clients that are integrating these activities much more effectively and I expect that we’ll see more successes as they do.”
The post The hidden cost of compliance: Why outdated IFUs are costing hospitals millions appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.