Research on the status of recyclable medical waste disposal of Liaoning Province / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To promote the reuse of recyclable medical wastes by analyzing the current status of the disposal and factors affecting recycling of medical wastes in medical institutions.Methods:On-site investigations were made on the collection and disposal of recyclable medical wastes at 20 tertiary hospitals in Liaoning Province in the timeframe from January 1 through December 31 of 2018, together with on-site interviews of 25 managers and 5 transfer personnels. Investigation results were then subject to descriptive analysis.Results:There were 18 tertiary hospitals that separately collect recyclable infusion bottles and infusion bags, and only one hospital collected empty bottles of penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics. There was a linear relationship between the amount of recyclable medical wastes and the actual number of beds available( F=47.177, P=0.000). The amount of medical waste generated in general hospitals and that of recyclable medical waste generated were much higher than those of traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and specialized hospitals. The main factors on the recovery were poor and delayed command of relevant laws and decrees, and inadequate rules and regulations of the hospital, as well as lack of qualified recycling companies and poor compliance of transfer personnel. Conclusions:It is recommended that hospitals formulate and update rules and regulations, establish standardized recycling processes, and strengthen relevant staff training and supervision. The health commission is recommended to enhance communication with relevant authorities, for due appraisal of the qualifications of enterprises recovering recyclable medical wastes.