Archive for October, 2011

Medical Donations That Make a Difference

There are many organizations in the United States that routinely collect surplus supplies and equipment from local hospitals and ship them to hospitals that desperately need them in poorer countries. It is important to consider a variety of factors before shipping medical supplies to developing countries.

While the intentions of these charitable organizations are always good, they need to acknowledge that there are other items that are required to operate and use these donated items effectively. For example, an x-ray machine is not useful to a medical facility without x-ray film. It was eventually discovered that that used medical equipment was often being donated to countries without the electricity necessary to operate the equipment. Another significant problem was that the technology and funding was not present in poorer countries to upkeep the maintenance of the equipment. Subsequently, medical personnel working in these countries discovered an enormous amount of discarded medical equipment and supplies.

To make donations that can make a difference, these charitable organizations are offering sound advice to those who are interested in donating. Here is what they suggest:

1. Be informed. Collect as much information about the location that you plan to donate to. Sometimes it is common practice to send a questionnaire as a formality to ensure that equipment is not being donated that cannot be used. Typical questions that are asked are as follows:

  • Is the electricity reliable?
  • How is the water supply?
  • Is anyone trained to use this equipment?
  • Is anyone trained to maintain and repair the equipment?

2.       Educate donators about what not to give. Those who are donating should only send usable used medical equipment. The equipment should have all parts and be in good working condition and a user manual should be provided along with the donation.

3.       Send only what is needed. Only ship what is needed and requested. Do not use the opportunity to “dump” equipment where it is not needed.

4.       Provide ongoing support. Have a biomedical engineer inspect all equipment before it ships. Some organizations send an engineer out to visit recipient hospitals to train them how to use and maintain the equipment several times a year.

Hospitals that donate their used medical equipment are contributing to an excellent cause and sustainability is always a concern. Medical professionals are more likely to stay in depressed areas if they can successfully practice medicine. Rural health care is in a devastated state mainly because their governments have stopped financing it. Government support is the key to sustaining healthcare in these countries and donating medical supplies may be effective in bringing those changes about more quickly.

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Medical Recycling: An Optimistic Future

Medical facility waste is becoming a vast problem in the United States. Each year, the medical industry is responsible for contributing to the overflowing landfills nationwide. Today, more environmental movements are forming and actively advocating for the medical industry to implement more environmentally friendly practices on a daily basis.

Implementing proper safety procedures could reduce waste and wasteful spending and save the healthcare industry hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

A huge factor contributing to the problem is that newer technology is swiftly replacing the old. The expense of purchasing new medical equipment is a financial burden and frequently unnecessary. By purchasing used medical equipment, medical facilities can cut both costs and waste on a large scale. Most individuals are convinced that it is easier and safer to dispose items rather than recycle them; however, recycling medical supplies is not difficult, it just needs to become a routine practice. The fact is that recycling medical equipment and supplies reduces medical costs, and the long-term impact of that benefits patients as well as the medical community.

When it comes to recycling within the medical industry, the primary concern is usually safety. There is a widespread fear of diseases spreading amongst patients. In hospitals and most often in operating rooms, many tools are used only once and then disposed of. Studies have shown that many of these items could be easily reused multiple times if they are properly sterilized with no risk to the patient. There are also concerns of older medical equipment malfunctioning due to frequent use. However, this is an unrealistic concern, since regular testing of the machines can ensure that they are operating safely and effectively.

Changing current healthcare policies is a process that would take time, and unfortunately not enough medical facilities are currently willing to put the time and effort into making the much needed and necessary changes. However, there are some hospitals that are making a conscious effort to recycle and reuse materials. Fortunately, the U.S. government is supporting recycling in the medical industry and has issued a statement claiming that used medical equipment does not compromise the safety of patients. Hopefully the government’s endorsement will encourage more health professionals to consider their options.

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