(Newswire.net — July 6, 2020) — Medical waste management is a serious business, and it calls for nearly-serious measures. Dumping medical garbage inappropriately, or handling them the wrong way, isn’t only a legal offense but a threat to the environment and the general public.
Over the years, several institutions have been running campaigns on the importance of proper medical waste management. This has played a vital role in maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements among the healthcare systems.
The process and procedures for disposing of these wastes can be an overwhelming assignment for small healthcare facilities. This has pushed some to overlook the importance of these critical procedures, exposing many to the risks of improper medical garbage management.
In this article, we’ve covered seven risks of improper medical waste management and how your medical facility can overcome them. Read through to the end.
Risks to Patients and Healthcare Workers
There are several ways in which the people around a healthcare facility can be exposed to the life-threatening risks of improper medical waste management. We’ve highlighted some below, from parasitic exposure to the potentially infectious sharps.
Injuries and Infections from Sharps
Healthcare garbage comes in different types. Sharps pose an imminent danger if they aren’t disposed of properly. As a general rule of thumb, sharps container disposal should meet specific requirements; for example, the FDA recommends all needles and sharps be placed in a puncture-proof container immediately after use. Such containers shouldn’t be overfilled, as this increases the risk of injury. Community guidelines recommend final disposal once they are ¾ full.
Airborne Infections
Airborne pathogens are very invasive and can cause serious ailments. Medical wastes release airborne aerosols, some of which contain pathogens. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that causes lung infections such as pneumonia and influenza, for example, originates from medical wastes.
Airborne pathogens spread quite fast and can affect an entire medical facility in a matter of seconds. The viruses can also undergo mutation, making them more invasive and challenging to treat. To avoid running the risk of airborne infections, always dispose of medical waste in sealed containers. The containers shouldn’t overstay unless kept in a refrigerated room. This guide outlines the various on-site storage and procedures for medical wastes.
Parasitic and Bacterial Infections
Parasites are a common encounter in any medical facility- from the lab testing kits to the patient’s body fluids. Proper waste management will ensure that all the parasites that can be disposed of are contained and won’t spread among other patients and healthcare workers.
Bacterial infections often arise from the proliferation of a harmful strain of bacteria on or inside the body. Sick patients can spread bacterial pathogens through body fluids disposed of inappropriately.
For easy pick-ups of medical waste and avoid leaks or potential contaminants, always keep the waste containers locked and without any overflows. The next time you’re setting up waste containers in your medical facility, make sure to use the right type and quality for the different forms of medical wastes.
Environmental Impacts
When discussing environmental conservation, improper disposal of medical waste can have a severe impact on the world around us. If medical waste containing pathogens are exposed to the environment, humans, animals, and even plants can become victims.
Imagine syringes floating on water bodies or even worse, being washed off the shores, endangering both human and non-human species. Talk of infectious blood tissues, or body fluids contaminating water sources, and you’ll understand how far this can get. All these come with serious health consequences.
Dumping of bio-hazardous materials is both illegal and inhuman. Legal and regulatory measures are already in place to make sure that healthcare facilities are held responsible in case of poor handling and mismanagement of medical wastes.
To ensure compliance and to avoid endangering the environment with your waste disposal measures, always partner with the right medical waste management company. There are several treatments and disposal technologies, and you can pick a company that meets your specific needs.
Lawsuits and Fines
Breaching the law on medical waste disposal will probably end in court battles with the state, affected individuals, and other interested parties. This is something you can’t take for granted.
More often than not, medical practitioners are less informed about legal matters. If you don’t have a legal advisor, there are pretty high chances that your healthcare facility will fall into one of the many legal traps. However, you can stay ahead of this by complying with the state provisions on medical waste disposal.
Financial Threats
No company wants to lose money, especially due to avoidable causes. The court rulings from lawsuits may not always be in your company’s favor. Sometimes, you’ll have to pay lump sums for injuries, damages, and federal penalties.
These are liabilities that your medical facility may fail to cope up with. You can lose your assets in the long run, which poses a threat to the business’ financial health. Your healthcare professionals will seek greener pastures, and patients will find alternative medical services. You’ll be left with unpaid invoices, and what follows is you, filing for bankruptcy. That’s a sad story, and you don’t want things to end this way.
Your Reputation
Your firm’s reputation is one of the aspects that will put your services ahead of others. People will trust your firm not because of where it’s located, but because of who runs it. The management is often a complete replica of what’s going on inside the patients’ wards or pharmaceutical shops.
You don’t want to spoil the good name of your medical practice just because you didn’t adhere to the medical waste disposal protocols. A small mistake, such as an infection traced to your medical waste container, can get messy once it gets to the media.
Conclusion
To avoid all these inconveniences, it’s in your firm’s interest to keep up with the changing times. If there’s something you can do to save your medical practice, always comply with the set of regulations. It doesn’t matter if they sound redundant or maybe expensive. Shortcuts are always dangerous, and you don’t want to risk the future of your healthcare facility for short-term gains.