Circular Economy in the Healthcare Industry: Developing a Circularity Assessment Tool for Complex Medical Devices

As the circular economy transition gains traction in the healthcare sector, extending the lifespan of complex medical devices has become a key priority, given their high cost and the challenges associated with their technological sophistication. To effectively advance this transition, there is a growing need for a robust tool capable of assessing and enhancing the circularity of complex medical devices. In response, this study introduces the Medical Device Circularity Assessment Tool (MDCATool), a novel tool for identifying circular redesign strategies to improve the circularity performance of complex medical devices. The MDCATool draws on the hybrid “Closing-Slowing Future-Past” quadrant model, enriched with a hierarchy of product life extension strategies and associated environmental performance attributes. To demonstrate its applicability, the developed tool is employed to identify redesign strategies for an X-ray tube, an integral component of a mammography system from a medical technology original equipment manufacturer. In addition, this study presents a circularity data checklist to support automated diagnostics and redesign decisions, forming the basis of a digital application for medical device assessment. The tool, designed for industry practitioners, supports evidence-based decisions and innovation in circular medical device design, helping to improve the circularity performance of complex medical devices, including magnetic resonance imaging scanners, computed tomography systems, and X-ray and ultrasound devices.