Lighthouse Imaging has signed a contract with group purchasing organization Novation for its endoscope image quality tester.

Products included in the GPO agreements are the Portland, ME.-based medical device company’s EndoBench endoscope testers, which allow hospitals to quantitatively measure rigid and flexible endoscope optical quality, while ensuring patient safety before the procedure and verify the proper repair after service, according to a press release.

"We are pleased to award Lighthouse’s endoscope testing equipment through our innovative technology evaluation process," VP of physician preference & sourcing operations at Novation Michael Vintges said in prepared remarks. "Our Innovative Technology program allows us to take a thorough and sophisticated approach to reviewing the exciting new products entering the market, while also fully engaging hospital member input and feedback."

The agreement will help member organizations including 2,500 hospitals to reduce their endoscope maintenance and repair cost while improving patient safety, Lighthouse Imaging said.

The company said hospitals and medical centers typically pay $2 billion annually for scope repair services and most scope manufacturers and independent repair firms do not offer quantitative verification of repair quality.

The EndoBench testers are the only products that objectively measure all clinically relevant optical parameters, the company said.

Novation earlier this month awarded new cardiovascular contracts to a host of market leaders.