Getting started: Reducing waste in healthcare
A meta-analysis of medical waste in 78 countries found an average of 2.04 kg of healthcare waste is generated per patient per day. Addressing this is crucial for environmental sustainability, as well as for improving public health and generating savings throughout the hospital.
Here's Cassandra Thiel, President and CEO at Clinically Sustainable Consulting, introducing the Aravind Eye System. She shares insights about optimizing operating rooms to increase access to care and strategies to reduce waste in the operating room.
What is waste in the healthcare sector?
Single use plastics are plastic products intended for one-time use only. In healthcare, these items include:
- syringes and blood sample tubes
- gloves
- facemasks
- surgical gowns
- packaging materials
- disposable medical instruments.
Actions for hospitals
Workforce engagement
Engaging your workforce is the first step in understanding the types and quantities of waste in your hospital. They can help to:
- Classify waste into categories such as single use plastics, paper, etc.
- Identify the high-waste hotspots across departments.
Here are some examples: Surgeons and clinicians can help identify waste from products such as single use gloves, gowns, and surgical instruments. Catering staff can indicate which items on the menu generate the most waste. Procurement teams can share data on items that generate the most packaging waste.
Waste segregation
1. Set up segregation stations for different types of waste (recyclables, general waste, hazardous, etc.) Colour code them for easy identification.
2. Provide workforce training to explain the importance of waste segregation.
3. Introduce environmentally sustainable solutions. For example, BioBins are paper-based clinical waste containers for non-sharp waste. They can be used in operating theatres, clinical units, and labs to reduce medical waste.
Segregation can reduce transportation miles, incineration of virgin plastic, and energy consumption.
Waste reduction strategies
Practical strategies to reduce waste include:
1. Reusable products: Use reusable gowns, surgical instruments and containers, when possible.
2. Efficient management of materials: Optimize orders to reduce excess, prevent waste caused by expiration of items, and to gain cost savings.
3. Recycling programmes: Set up hospital-wide recycling for plastics, paper, and other materials.
Track, set goals, make a plan
1. Set up a monitoring system to track the hospital’s waste production. With a baseline amount of waste currently generated, you can identify areas for reduction and improvement. It is important to include both clinical and non-clinical departments.
2. Based on your tracking, set realistic and measurable goals that include specific reduction targets and a clear timeline.
3. Share a report with the workforce about waste generated, segregation and efficiency efforts, and areas for improvement to keep them engaged in reaching the hospital’s targets.
Behaviour changes that promoted patient care while reducing waste
To reduce their annual energy consumption, St Barts and the Royal London Hospital (UK) identified that the best way they could encourage energy savings was by helping their workforce do what they do best – provide excellent clinical care. In a project called “Operation TLC” they linked energy-saving to greater patient safety, comfort and dignity, to encourage turning off equipment when it was not being used, switching off lights at every opportunity and closing doors.
