Tag: Sustainability

Joint Commission International launches healthcare sustainability certification for global organizations

Editor's Note Joint Commission International (JCI) and the International Hospital Federation's Geneva Sustainability Centre (GSC) have introduced a new Healthcare Sustainability Certification (HSC) for healthcare organizations outside the U.S., according to a September 11 report from The Joint Commission. The goal of the new initiative is to address the nearly…

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By: Matt Danford
September 13, 2024
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International study highlights OR waste management strategies, barriers

Editor's Note Effective waste segregation and adopting a circular economy approach can significantly reduce environmental impact of incinerating hospital waste incorrectly classified as hazardous, according to a narrative review published August 19 in the Medical Journal of Australia. However, surgeons' concerns about patient safety and insufficient systemic policies can hinder…

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By: Matt Danford
August 27, 2024
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Supply chain stress fractures demand rock-solid continuity planning

More than 4 years after personal protective equipment production and inventories crashed amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, the “new normal” in healthcare supply chains seems to be “uncertainty.” Although hospital margins are improving and patient volumes are trending upward, “stress fractures continue to remain in place,” says Michael Schiller, CMRP,…

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By: Marisa Torrieri
May 24, 2024
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Carbon-conscious health systems phase out desflurane anesthesia gas to reduce emissions

Editor's Note Citing environmental concerns, multiple health systems have stopped using desflurane anesthesia gas, Becker’s Hospital Review reported on May 7. Citing the Philadelphia Inquirer, the outlet notes that Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Marlton, N.J.-based Virtua Health are among those that have eliminated the gas so far, with the…

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By: Matt Danford
May 15, 2024
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New EPA standards to reduce ethylene oxide emissions

Editor's Note New standards from The Environmental Protection Agency promise to cut nationwide emissions of ethylene oxide—employed to sterilize more than half of US medical devices—by more than 90 percent. According to a March 15 MedPage Today report, the aim is to reduce cancer risk among the 13 to 14…

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By: Matt Danford
March 18, 2024
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Unveiling ECRI’s 2024 top 10 health technology hazards list

What is the purpose of the top 10 health technology hazards list, released every year by ECRI? “Our number one goal at ECRI is to reduce preventable harm,” stresses Jason Launders, MSC, former director of operations, device evaluation, at ECRI. “We know that every healthcare provider has a lot they…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
February 27, 2024
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Improving anesthesia emissions at Seattle Children’s, nationwide

Editor's Note The sustainability team at Seattle Children's Hospital has reduced anesthesia-related emissions by 87%, a Becker's Hospital Review October 26 webinar reported. According to the webinar presenters, the team at Seattle Children's first gathered electronic medical record (EHR) data from their anesthesia gas machines, then implemented steps to limit…

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By: Brita Belli
October 23, 2023
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Session: Designing a sustainable model for your future OR

Editor’s Note Michelle Larson, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Nurse Administrator at Mayo Clinic, posed this quote from Dr Charles Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic, when opening the session, “Designing a Sustainable Model for your Future OR Today”: “If we excel in anything, it is in our capacity for translating idealism…

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By: Bridget Brown
February 7, 2023
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