Managing your trash may prevent waste — of money. Savings will not be huge, but at a time of declining reimbursements, some practices find it worthwhile to negotiate a bit harder with companies providing such services, pay attention to additional fees and train staff to dispose of waste as cheaply as possible.
The first step is to identify what belongs in the hazardous waste bins and what does not. This varies by state. Waste disposal companies should be able to provide information, but generally, sharps contaminated with blood and other body fluids should be disposed of as hazardous medical waste. Exam table papers and disposable towels usually can go into the office waste stream.
“A lot of waste can go in the regular trash,” Lee said. “Practices need to know what is medical waste and what is not.”
Read the complete article at American Medical News: