“First, Do No Harm” Should Extend to the Environment
A long-standing adage in the healthcare industry is “first, do no harm.” When it comes to protecting the environment, this industry must take this challenge to heart. As a group, the healthcare industry generates over two million tons of waste annually. This amount of waste, along with many other aspects associated with healthcare facility operation, gives the industry a very large “environmental footprint” and attracts heavy environmental regulatory, accreditation and ethics scrutiny. This article presents some “food for thought” regarding several major issues surrounding a few primary environmental laws affecting healthcare providers.
First, who exactly should be concerned about these different types of environmental issues? These would include any of the following
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Birthing centers
- Blood banks
- Clinics (medical, dental and veterinary)
- Dialysis centers
- Educational/research centers
- Emergency centers
- Hospices
- Hospitals
- Pharmacies
- Pharma manufacturers
- Laboratories (clinical and diagnostic)
- Long-term care facilities
- Research facilities
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This article is reprinted with the permission of Becker’s Hospital Review, ©2013.
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