What is a Medical Surplus Recovery Organization (MSRO)?

 

Medical Surplus Recovery Organizations (MSROs) collect new and usable surplus medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceutical products from U.S. hospitals, manufacturers, and distributors. MSROs process these donated materials to ensure quality and make them available to under-resourced health care providers through direct shipments to international institutions and supplying medical volunteer teams, local non-profit organizations, and teaching institutions. 

 

Who donates the surplus medical products?

 

Hospitals, clinics, medical distributors, and manufacturers throughout the U.S. donate biomedical, medical equipment, devices, supplies, furniture, and pharmaceuticals. MSROs evaluate all donations to ensure that they meet the MSA standards. Excess product is disposed of or sold to quality reprocessing companies.

 

Why do donors provide products?

 

• There are several benefits to both product and cash donors.

• Donating usable products expands the number of people they can help and is consistent with the organization's mission or individual value commitments to improve patients' health and quality of life in emerging countries.

• By expanding the life of equipment or preventing products from going to landfills, we lessen the environmental impact.

• MSROs provide quality and cost-effective services to product management and community impact programs.

• And finally, donations to qualified 501c3 organizations are tax deductible.

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Do MSROs only send excess products?

 

No. Donors anticipate what their MSRO partner requires and pulls it from existing stock. MSROs, in some cases, purchase products.

 

What is the benefit of collecting and sharing excess products?

 

A core MSA principle is that there should be no double standard regarding the equipment and supplies that MSROs send to their in-country partners. For that reason, qualified MSROs don't send expired, unsanitary, broken, or otherwise inappropriate products to healthcare settings in the developing world. Biomedical equipment, hospital beds, wheelchairs, IV poles, and a wide range of discarded products, even though they still have years of useful life.   They are often discarded for various competitive and economic reasons, not because they are no longer usable.   Older, less complicated equipment is easier to maintain in low-resource settings.

 

How are the products shipped to recipients?

 

Recipients order the products they need. MSROs send products tagged by the recipient and appropriate for the healthcare setting. MSROs ship orders using 40-foot containers, partial container loads, and small hand-carried boxes. Many MSROs can provide smaller quantities needed for mission trips or small facilities.

 

Do MSROs offer products for mission trips?

 

Many MSROs offer hand-carry supplies to medical mission teams. Individuals or groups select supplies in small quantities and either carry or ship the products.

 

Is equipment repaired before shipping?

 

Biomedical engineers or technicians evaluate, repair, and prepare items for shipment. They also ensure that necessary supplies and operating manuals are available to support daily operations, maintenance and repairs. Sometimes, they also travel internationally to train medical staff or provide support online.

 

Who receives the products?

 

Organizations must complete a thorough application and review process that includes written documentation confirming they are qualified to accept duty-free humanitarian aid and have the onsite medical personnel to ensure proper use and management. Once approved, recipient organizations order online or work with the MSRO's trained medical professional to identify the equipment and products appropriate for their setting.

 

Do MSROs help in the United States?

 

Some MSROs support free or low-cost clinics, and others provide products to human service programs in their community.

 

How are MSRO operating and shipping expenses covered?

 

MSROs charge a fee to cover operational expenses and shipping. Sponsor organizations, individuals, and funds raised by the MSRO for the operating and shipping costs.