REHEAL Challenge

Enabling Circular Healthcare Through System-Level Innovation

REHEAL supports innovation that helps healthcare providers reduce waste, improve traceability, and make better procurement decisions for circular medical systems.

REHEAL aims to enable healthcare systems to transition from single-use medical devices to economically viable, circular supply and management systems that reduce waste and resource use, while ensuring regulatory compliance, patient safety and cost efficiency.

Suppliers will be invited to develop innovative digital solutions and service models that enable reliable lifecycle traceability, operational management, and evaluation of medical devices consistent with the objectives of the circular economy, across healthcare systems. The solutions support the management of medical devices throughout their lifecycle, including design, procurement, operational use, remanufacturing, and end-of- life recovery.

Challenge components

Product Categories

The scope covers medical devices designed for multiple use (reusable devices) as well as devices and components that can be remanufactured to restore their original performance and safety, in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Indicative device categories to be addressed by the solutions include:

  1. Reusable and remanufacturable instruments (Class Ir), such as forceps, scissors, clamps and reusable laparoscopic instruments

  2. Complex reusable devices (Class IIa), such as bronchoscopes and gastrointestinal endoscopes

  3. Medical textiles suitable for reuse and remanufacturing, such as surgical gowns, drapes and hospital linen

  4. Reusable and remanufacturable device systems (Class IIa / IIb), such as infusion pumps, monitoring equipment, surgical towers, Catheter, Optic Fiber, Guide Wire

  5. Device systems combining reusable, remanufacturable and single-use components, such as surgical kits, endoscopy accessories and robotic surgery tools

In addition, the Challenge includes single-use medical devices and components, with the objective of enabling high-value material recovery and remanufacturing pathways, thereby extending product lifecycles and reducing dependency on virgin materials.