Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Inefficient supply chain management within the US healthcare industry results in significant financial and environmental impact. Unopened medical supplies may routinely be discarded in the Emergency Department (ED), contributing as a source of unnecessary medical waste.
OBJECTIVE: Quantify the financial and environmental impact of unopened medical supplies that are routinely discarded in two EDs.
METHODS: The study utilized a waste audit of collection bins targeting unopened medical supplies that would have otherwise been discarded. Associated financial cost was calculated using data from the purchasing department and from an online search. End-of-life (EOL) environmental impact was calculated using the M+ Wastecare calculator. A lifecycle analysis was performed on a supplier-packaged intubation kit, which the study identified as a significant source of waste.
RESULTS: High volumes of unused, unopened supplies (143.48 kg) were collected during the study period with a yearly extrapolated value of 1337 kg. Purchasing costs over 44 days at Hospital A and 37 days at Hospital B for these items amounted to $16,159.71 across both sites with a yearly extrapolated value of $150,631.73. Yearly extrapolated EOL impact yielded 5.79 tons per year of CO2eq. Components from supplier-packaged intubation kits were found to contribute to 45.2% of collected items at one site which purchased them. Lifecycle analysis of an intubation kit yields 23.6 kg of CO2eq.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the disposal of unopened medical supplies contributes a significant source of financial and environmental waste in the ED setting. The results continue to support the trend of procedure kits generating significant environmental and financial waste.
OBJECTIVE: Quantify the financial and environmental impact of unopened medical supplies that are routinely discarded in two EDs.
METHODS: The study utilized a waste audit of collection bins targeting unopened medical supplies that would have otherwise been discarded. Associated financial cost was calculated using data from the purchasing department and from an online search. End-of-life (EOL) environmental impact was calculated using the M+ Wastecare calculator. A lifecycle analysis was performed on a supplier-packaged intubation kit, which the study identified as a significant source of waste.
RESULTS: High volumes of unused, unopened supplies (143.48 kg) were collected during the study period with a yearly extrapolated value of 1337 kg. Purchasing costs over 44 days at Hospital A and 37 days at Hospital B for these items amounted to $16,159.71 across both sites with a yearly extrapolated value of $150,631.73. Yearly extrapolated EOL impact yielded 5.79 tons per year of CO2eq. Components from supplier-packaged intubation kits were found to contribute to 45.2% of collected items at one site which purchased them. Lifecycle analysis of an intubation kit yields 23.6 kg of CO2eq.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the disposal of unopened medical supplies contributes a significant source of financial and environmental waste in the ED setting. The results continue to support the trend of procedure kits generating significant environmental and financial waste.
摘要：
背景：美国医疗保健行业的供应链管理效率低下会对财务和环境产生重大影响。未开封的医疗用品可能会在急诊科（ED）常规丢弃，作为不必要的医疗废物的来源。
目的：量化未开封的医疗用品对财务和环境的影响，这些用品通常在两个ED中丢弃。
方法：这项研究利用了对收集箱的废物审计，目标是未开封的医疗用品，否则这些用品将被丢弃。相关的财务成本是使用来自采购部门和在线搜索的数据计算的。使用M+Wastecare计算器计算寿命终止(EOL)环境影响。对供应商包装的插管套件进行了生命周期分析，研究认为这是一个重要的废物来源。
结果：大量未使用，在研究期间收集了未开封的供应品（143.48kg），每年的外推值为1337kg。在这两个地点，在A医院44天和在B医院37天的采购成本为16,159.71美元，每年的外推值为150,631.73美元。每年推断的EOL影响每年产生5.79吨二氧化碳当量。发现供应商包装的插管套件中的组件占购买它们的一个地点收集的物品的45.2％。插管套件的生命周期分析产生23.6kg的CO2eq。
结论：这项研究表明，在ED环境中，处置未开封的医疗用品是财务和环境废物的重要来源。结果继续支持程序套件产生重大环境和财务浪费的趋势。
目的：量化未开封的医疗用品对财务和环境的影响，这些用品通常在两个ED中丢弃。
方法：这项研究利用了对收集箱的废物审计，目标是未开封的医疗用品，否则这些用品将被丢弃。相关的财务成本是使用来自采购部门和在线搜索的数据计算的。使用M+Wastecare计算器计算寿命终止(EOL)环境影响。对供应商包装的插管套件进行了生命周期分析，研究认为这是一个重要的废物来源。
结果：大量未使用，在研究期间收集了未开封的供应品（143.48kg），每年的外推值为1337kg。在这两个地点，在A医院44天和在B医院37天的采购成本为16,159.71美元，每年的外推值为150,631.73美元。每年推断的EOL影响每年产生5.79吨二氧化碳当量。发现供应商包装的插管套件中的组件占购买它们的一个地点收集的物品的45.2％。插管套件的生命周期分析产生23.6kg的CO2eq。
结论：这项研究表明，在ED环境中，处置未开封的医疗用品是财务和环境废物的重要来源。结果继续支持程序套件产生重大环境和财务浪费的趋势。
