Circular Economy Impact Analysis Model for Image Guided Therapy Devices

Circular Economy Impact Analysis Model for Image Guided Therapy Devices

Bech, Sjors (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering)

Dankelman, J. (mentor)
Rebelo de Mira, Raquel (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Biomedical Engineering | Medical Instruments and Medical Safety (MIMS)

2021-03-25

The healthcare sector contributes significantly to humanity’s environmental impact on our planet. The circular economy (CE) has been heralded as a solution addressing its economic and environmental challenges by promoting more efficient use of materials. Stakeholders throughout the entire industry need to adapt their business models towards more sustainable and cost effective circular alternatives. Examples of CE strategies are the utilization of subscription-based business models, de-materialization of product chains and the maximizing of physical assets’ useful life. For medical disposables, the CE transition is challenged by apparent limitations in economical, behavioural, and operational feasibility. This study involves the embedding of CE thinking into Philips image guided therapy devices (IGT-D) by incorporating the projected impact of circular adaptations into the decision-making process between project proposals. A model was developed to facilitate the appraisal and selection of CE opportunities within existing IGT-D products. It assesses their impacts to the business according to six categories: i) Marketing, ii) Resource investment, iii) Capital investment, iv) P&L (profit and loss), v) Dependency and vi) Legal & regulatory. This model calculates impact scores that reflect the efforts necessary to implement these proposals as well as their potential advantages. The usability and value of the model were assessed in a case series, which produced promising yet inconclusive results. Although the model demonstrated potential to fill in the knowledge gaps for implementation of circular proposals by assessing their impacts, its ability to assist the decision-making process between proposals is in need of further validation. Future research into CE adoption in IGT-D needs to determine its impacts based on real outcomes and may be used to validate the model’s projections.

Circular economy
Medical devices
Image guided therapy
Sustainability
Waste
Product development

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:65d7038c-d679-4e0e-89d0-dc88dd581c05

2023-03-25

52.344495, 4.916904

Student theses

master thesis

© 2021 Sjors Bech