When it comes time to make a choice between reusable medical devices, single-use medical devices, or disposable medical supplies, medical professionals are required to carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option. To begin, there is a vast variety of subcategories that can be applied to medical devices. Any equipment, piece of equipment, or instrument with medical applications that are designed for and used in assessing, monitoring, diagnosing, and treating patients is considered to be a medical device. This is true regardless of whether the medical device is intended for a single use instruments or is a reusable items.