About half of U.S. hospitals are recycling at least some of the medical supplies the would otherwise dispose of, as the health care industry is beginning to tackle the problem of medical waste, according to a report in the New York Times.
One hospital owner, the Hospital Corporation of America, recycled 94 tons last year. HCA owns 163 hospitals throughout the country. Reprocessing and remanufacturing programs from Ascent Healthcare Solutions has saved its hospital partners more than $82 million in supply chain costs during the first half of 2009.
The paper reported that the amount of medical waste produced in the U.S. is completely unknown, since the last estimate of 2 million tons is from several decades ago. Although hospitals have traditionally been unreceptive to calls to reduce or recycle their medical waste, the increased stress of a prolonged economic downturn as forced health care providers to look for ways to reduce costs, including costs associated with the use and disposal of medical waste.
The report highlighted one environmental non-profit, Practice Greenhealth, which counts 80 companies and 1,100 hospitals among its members. The group is trying to find new ways to reduce waste in the operating room, which according to the report generates 20 to 30 percent of hospital medical waste.
Changing the hospital culture of profligacy with its equipment and supplies can save hospitals money on the purchasing end, while reducing the amount of waste produced can save on landfill fees, the paper reported.
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