By Curtis McEntire, SpendMend CPO; Mazree Founder
At SpendMend, we’ve seen health systems across the country struggle with the same challenge: what to do with used medical equipment. It piles up in closets, clutters up storage rooms, and quietly depreciates—while hospitals spend valuable capital purchasing new items they may not need.
That’s why I was excited to sit down with Dustin Chipman, Manager of Asset Recovery at Intermountain Health, during a recent webinar to talk about a success story. Intermountain Health has built one of the most effective, centralized asset recovery programs in the country. Their team has not only streamlined internal redeployments and equipment sales—they’ve created a model for operational and financial efficiency that other health systems can follow.
Starting with the “Why”
Most organizations don’t wake up one day and decide to launch an asset recovery department. It usually starts with a few key questions:
- Where is our equipment going?
- Are we receiving appropriate value on trade-ins?
- Can we avoid new capital spend by repurposing what we already own?
At Intermountain Health, those questions drove the formation of a dedicated Asset Recovery Department—tasked with centralizing the redeployment, resale, donation, and recycling of both medical and non-medical equipment across dozens of facilities and hundreds of clinics.
As Dustin shared, “Nobody wants to see good equipment thrown out.” And thanks to the team’s efforts, fewer items are going to landfill—and more are being put to good use.
Redeployment as a First-Line Strategy
Before listing anything for sale, Intermountain Health checks to see if another department, clinic, or hospital in their network could use it. That internal redeployment process is a major win—financially and operationally.
- Last year, they redeployed more than 1,000 assets internally—everything from operating tables and vital sign monitors to waiting room furniture.
- Instead of incurring new spend, departments with reduced budgets can access what they need from the redeployment portal—no PO required.
As Dustin put it, “More than once, I’ve had someone come to me and say, ‘My budget got cut—what do you have that could help?’”
This kind of flexibility is only possible because Intermountain Health invested in the infrastructure and visibility to support it.
Using Technology to Simplify the Complex
That visibility comes from Mazree, the platform I originally built to make medical equipment reuse easier. Now part of SpendMend’s portfolio, Mazree powers Intermountain Health’s entire asset recovery program.
With one centralized platform, Dustin’s team can:
- List items for internal redeployment, public auction, or employee purchase.
- Manage trade-in evaluations by testing market value against real-time offers.
- Create clear audit trails for compliance, depreciation, and finance reporting.
- Vet buyers, manage de-installations, and ensure PHI/infection control protocols are followed.
And for their employees? Intermountain Health offers a unique benefit: the ability to buy quality furniture and equipment at a discount. From sit-stand desks and Steelcase chairs to fitness equipment and even a Ms. Pac-Man machine, the employee auction portal has become a staff favorite.
From One-Man Show to Multi-Million Dollar Program
When Dustin took over the department in 2021, he ran it solo. Fast forward to today, and a small-but-mighty team of three is driving serious impact:
- $4.5 million+ in auction sales
- $1 million+ in avoided costs through redeployment
- 13,000+ total assets processed
- Sustainability gains from fewer landfill contributions and more circular reuse
And perhaps most importantly, they’ve built a culture of support across clinical engineering, supply chain, finance, and frontline caregivers. That kind of internal buy-in is critical.
Final Thoughts: Start Small, Build Smart, Prove Value
Intermountain Health’s success didn’t happen overnight. It started with a small space, a few assets, and a strong belief in doing things better.
For other health systems looking to follow suit, here’s the blueprint:
- Start where you are: Use what space and resources you have and grow from there.
- Secure leadership support: Share quick wins and show value early.
- Track everything: Use platforms like Mazree to capture data and tell your story.
- Build repeatable processes: Operational excellence makes scale possible.
- Put redeployment first: It’s not just cost effective—it’s mission-aligned.
At the end of the day, Intermountain Health’s asset recovery program is proof that thoughtful reuse is more than just a sustainability play—it’s a strategic advantage. The numbers speak for themselves. And as Dustin reminded us, “You can’t do it alone—but when you get the right tools and the right team in place, you can absolutely make it work.”