Source: Thomas Dworetzky, DotMed
Sustainability in the OR may be challenging, but as cost containment becomes more important in the modern push to improve the efficiency of health care delivery, it is a must.
In a 2013 HCB News article on sustainability, author Brian White, president of Stryker Sustainability Solutions, made the compelling case that, “the total value of third-party reprocessing extends beyond cost-savings. Reprocessing programs also divert waste and support sustainability initiatives within facilities. Let’s use the operating room as an example. Practice Greenhealth estimates that the OR generates 20 to 30 percent of an average hospital’s waste. Today, reprocessing is one of the most significant ways that ORs can reduce their environmental footprint.”