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…
Mayo Clinic evaluates impact of OR design on team performance, efficiency
Editor's Note Designing ORs with a focus on patient flow, room organization, and the needs of surgical teams can reduce burnout while improving workplace positivity and patient outcomes. That’s according to an April 9 report from Mayo Clinic, where researchers recently integrated 3D space capture technology with traditional focus groups…
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…
Penn Medicine anesthesia, waste initiatives boost OR sustainability
Editor's Note Penn Medicine has made significant strides in reducing the environmental footprint of the OR through department- and team-level initiatives, according to a March 29 report in Penn Medicine news. Driven by CIRCE: Medicine, a faculty group consisting of providers from Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, examples…
Colorado-focused report shows wasteful spending, over $130M spent on low-value care
Editor's Note A new report by the Denver-based nonprofit Center for Improving Value in Health Care found that millions are being spent on tests and treatments that have limited value for patient health and well-being, KFF Health News November 13 reports. According to estimates, from 10% to 30% of the…
WHO: Dire need to deal with huge volumes of COVID-19 medical waste
Editor's Note Tons of extra medical waste generated in response to COVID-19 has put tremendous strain on healthcare waste management systems, threatening human and environmental health, according to a February 1 World Health Organization (WHO) report. In this global analysis WHO says: A large share of 87,000 tons of personal…
Recycling program evolves to sustain gains in waste reduction
Approximately 5.9 million tons of waste annually comes from the healthcare industry, and one-third of that waste comes directly from the OR. Each year, an increasing number of disposable products are used in the OR. To address this dilemma, an OR recycling performance improvement committee was formed at Massachusetts General…
EPA will require sterilization companies to provide data on EO emissions
Editor's Note Medtech sterilization companies were asked by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide data that will help the agency craft new regulation of ethylene oxide emissions, the September 25 Medical Design & Outsourcing reports. The data will include specific sterilization facility characteristics, control devices, work practices, and costs…
Environmental considerations for reusable vs disposable isolation gowns
Editor's Note Selecting reusable isolation gowns may result in significant environmental benefits compared with disposable gowns, this study finds. This analysis of 1,000 isolation gowns in a healthcare setting (24 reusable gowns from 8 suppliers, 16 disposable gowns from 5 suppliers) found that the reusable gowns resulted in a: 28%…
ASC reaps rewards of recycling and reprocessing
What began as an employee request to reduce waste and create a “greener” workplace has resulted in an international award for TRIA Orthopedic Center, Bloomington, Minnesota. By conserving materials and energy, the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) not only reduced its environmental impact, but also saved money. The initiative started with…
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