•  
  •  

Scholarly Commons > HCA Healthcare Journal > Vol. 7 > Iss. 1 (2026)

 

Keywords

medical waste; medical waste disposal; waste management; hospitals; waste segregation; quality improvement; operating rooms; intensive care units; obstetrics and gynecology; health care cost savings

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Business Analytics | Educational Leadership | Finance and Financial Management | Health and Medical Administration | Interprofessional Education | Leadership | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Medical Education | Nursing Administration | Operations and Supply Chain Management | Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing | Quality Improvement

Abstract

Background

Regulated medical waste (RMW) drives up health care costs, largely due to misclassification of general waste, especially in operating rooms (ORs), intensive care units (ICUs), and obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) departments. This study aimed to reduce RMW volume and costs at Akron City Hospital (ACH) through department-specific interventions aligning with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Methods

Periodic analyses compared hospital-wide aggregate RMW volume, pick-up frequency, and disposal costs before and after interventions. The ORs initiated interventions in October 2022, expanding to ICUs and OBGYN by February 2024. Strategies included staff education, flyers on red bag receptacles, and adjustments to container availability and size. Monthly data (January 2022 to June 2024) were analyzed using two-tailed heteroscedastic t-tests. Subsequently, an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to forecast monthly weights from July to December 2024.

Results

Monthly total RMW weights at ACH dropped from 56 366 lbs in 2022 to 45 148 lbs in 2023 and 37 017 lbs in early 2024 (P < .001). Variability declined, with standard deviation (SD) decreasing from 6177 lbs (2022) to 4062 lbs (2023) and a small increase in variability in early 2024 (SD increased from 4062 to 4366 lbs, non-significant). Seasonal reductions were sustained across quarters. Corresponding RMW disposal costs decreased from $175 189.51 (2022) to $140 321.18 (2023) and $57 528.17 (6-month cost, 2024). Time series predictive analytics indicated stable monthly weights, and anomaly detection confirmed improved consistency post-intervention.

Conclusion

Department-specific interventions significantly reduced RMW volume and costs while enhancing sustainability. Tailored education and operational adjustments offer a scalable model for sustainable waste management in health care, addressing both financial and environmental challenges.

Download

Share

COinS