Hes winter '16 final

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VOL. XII NO. 4

www.healthcareenvironmentalsolutions.com

WINTER 2016

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Antimicrobial Copper Gaining Popularity in Battle Against HAIs

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By P.J. Heller

hen it comes to preventing hospitalacquired infections, antimicrobial copper may be the new gold standard.

“Stunning,” declares Todd Linden, president and chief executive officer at Grinnell Regional Medical Center in describing the benefits of using copper alloy materials in the Iowa hospital.

“I’m a believer. Absolutely.

“With the continued rise of hospitalacquired infections, it’s clear that standard hand-washing regimens and daily cleaning and terminal cleaning just isn’t getting the job done alone,” Linden says. “I think more and more hospitals are going to be looking at this [antimicrobial copper] as a part of their overall infection control plans.”

Alan Swain, assistant vice president of general services at The Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Arizona, agrees.

“We felt that any opportunity where we could provide a safer environment for our patients, let’s look at doing that,” Swain says.

Although primarily touted for touch surfaces — such as drawer pulls, door handles, over-bed tray tables, sinks and faucets, bed rails, light switches and IV poles — the benefits of bacteria-killing copper is now also finding its way into textiles, exercise equipment, keyboards,

stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and drinking fountains.

There are an estimated 200 facilities in more than 35 states that have installed antimicrobial copper products. Most of the installations are in hospitals; other sites include fitness centers, educational facilities, laboratories, mass transit centers, restaurants and residences.

“I just think there are going to be more and more applications coming as time goes on,” Linden predicts.

Such a development would likely be a boon for both medical facilities and their patients.

The Centers for Disease Controls says that in 2011, an estimated 722,000 patients in acute care hospitals contracted healthcare-associated infections (HAIs); about 75,000 of those patients died during their hospitalization.

“On any given day, approximately one in 25 U.S. patients has at least one infection contracted during the course of their hospital care . . .” the CDC says.

What that shows, the agency says, is the need for improved infection control in the nation’s healthcare facilities.

Some facilities have embraced copper as a way to help prevent hospital-acquired infections.

Continued on page 3

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

Healthcare Environmental Solutions news

Antimicrobial Copper Gaining Popularity in Battle Against HAIs

Continued from page 1

They point to studies -- as well as thousands of years of copper history -- that show the efficacy of the metal.

Linden, for example, read about clinical trials at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center, also in South Carolina, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The trials, funded by the Department of Defense, involved replacing stainless steel, aluminum and plastic touch surfaces with antimicrobial copper alloys in ICU rooms. The nearly one-year study was led by Dr. Michael Schmidt, professor and vice chair of the microbiology and immunology department at MUSC. The study found that the use of copper resulted in a 97 percent reduction of bacteria that cause HAIs and that HAIs were reduced by more than half.

“Our study demonstrated that placing a copper alloy surface onto six common, highly touched objects in ICU rooms reduced the risk of HAI by more than half at all study sites,” the study said. “We believe that HAI reduction was due to the continuous antimicrobial effect of copper on environmental pathogens. We previously reported that copper surfaces reduced burden by 83 percent, compared with standard surfaces in patient rooms.”

That led Grinnell Regional Medical Center, a 49-bed facility serving a six-county area of roughly 40,000 people in east central Iowa, to partner with Grinnell College to study the possible benefits of copper. Half of the 26 rooms in the surgical area were outfitted with 16 copper-touch surfaces while the other half were left as is.

Random sampling was conducted over an 18-month period.

“We did have the same kind of stunning results that Dr. Schmidt had in his study,” Linden reports. “We had about 90 percent less bacteria in the rooms that had copper versus the noncopper rooms. Pretty stunning results.”

The study also included unoccupied rooms with and without copper.

“After a patient left and we did a terminal cleaning in that room, we studied unoccupied copper rooms versus unoccupied non-copper rooms,” Linden says. “The thing that was pretty remarkable was how quickly in rooms without copper the bacteria repopulated after the terminal cleaning . . . There was no difference between the unoccupied copper rooms and the occupied copper rooms in terms of the elimination of bacteria.”

Shannon Hinsa-Leasure, an associate professor of biology at Grinnell College who led the trial, said the study was “the first to demonstrate that copper alloy surfaces maintain reduced bacterial numbers in unoccupied and occupied patient rooms.

“This is key to protecting newly admitted patients from contracting infections through commonly touched surfaces, even when they are considered clean, and is integral to an effective infection-control strategy,” she says.

According to the Copper Development Association, a New York-based non-profit trade group, antimicrobial copper kills 99.9 percent of bacteria -- MRSA, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7 -- within two hours.

Ed Harrick, director of surgical services at Pullman Regional Hospital in eastern Washington, says he thinks that two-hour time frame is a conservative number.

“Even though the Copper Development Association says that it kills 99.9 percent of bacteria within two hours, the reality is within about 5 to10 minutes, if you take it on a Petri dish and look at how fast C. diff (Clostridium difficile) die in a copper medium, it’s within about 5 to 10 minutes. If you leave it in just a regular Petri dish, it will live 7, 10, 14 days. So it’s just kind of like a little booby trap sitting there for someone to come along and touch and get on their hands,” he says.

“That’s why were on the copper path,” Harrick says about Pullman installing copper at touch points — among them faucet handles, push buttons, and drawer and IV handles — as well as some surfaces throughout the hospital.

“Our housekeeping is really good, they’re very competent,” he says. “But how long would it be before they wiped off a faucet handle, or a push button or a drawer handle. The point is, who knows. Some of the (1,300) handles I took off weren’t as clean as you would have thought they were. So we’re trying to decrease the possibility of picking up bio burdens between your hand washing.”

The Copper Development Association notes that the use of antimicrobial copper doesn’t lessen the need for hospitals to maintain their standard infection control procedures.

“Antimicrobial copper surfaces are a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices,” the organization says. “Just like other antimicrobial products, they have been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but do not necessarily prevent cross contamination; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices.”

Linden agrees, saying he believes that copper “is going to be another arrow in our quiver of fighting hospital-acquired infections.”

The results of the Grinnell study have prompted Linden to retrofit the rest of the rooms at the hospital with copper.

“I really can’t put patients in non-copper rooms given how much cleaner the copper rooms are,” he says.

Continued on page 4 WINTER 2016

Queenster Nartey, a senior majoring in biological chemistry who graduated in May 2016 from Grinnell College, works with Terri L. Kelling, staff development and infection prevention coordinator at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, as she collects samples for research being done by Shannon Hinsa-Leasure, associate professor of biology. This was part of Hinsa-Leasure’s ongoing research about copper surfaces and a reduction in infection compared to non copper surfaces. (Photo

by Justin Hayworth/Grinnell College)

healthcare

Environmental solutionsnews Covering Infection prevention, medical waste management & sustainable practices

PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers P.J. Heller • Sandy Woodthorpe Production & Layout Barb Fontanelle • Christine Pavelka Advertising Sales Rick Downing Subscription / Circulation Donna Downing Editorial, Circulation & Advertising Office 6075 Hopkins Road, Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com Subscription information, call 440-257-6453.

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

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Healthcare Environmental Solutions news

Antimicrobial Copper Gaining Popularity

Continued from page 3

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

Grinnell’s emergency room also is being equipped with copper touch surfaces and the fitness center is being outfitted with copper exercise equipment.

Another recently published study at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va., reported similar success with copper. The 10-month clinical trial reported that copper touch surfaces and copper infused linens reduced some infections by as much as 83 percent.

“We’ve just about reached the limit of human processes to control infections in hospitals and Sentara Leigh was already performing pretty well,” said Dr. Gene Burke, vice president and executive medical director for clinical effectiveness with Sentara Healthcare.

“We owe it to our patients to try new approaches and this clinical trial indicates that copper-infused products are an effective addition to a robust infection prevention program,” Burke said in a statement released by the hospital.

The trial was so effective that Sentara now plans to retrofit all of its 12 hospitals in Virginia and North Carolina. Plans also call for copperinfused linens in all patient rooms.

Swain of the CTCA in Goodyear, Ariz., is another believer in the benefits of copper. The facility, about 25 miles from Phoenix, is one of five CTCA for-profit hospitals serving cancer patients throughout the U.S. Although no specific trials were carried out there, Swain says the impetus for installing copper was because “our patients are highly immune compromised and we felt that [retrofitting with copper products] would be in the best interests of our patients.”

Swain had antimicrobial copper installed in patient rooms. Included were doorknobs, cabinet handles and knobs and towel racks in restrooms.

“We did install it and we did it with our patients in mind,’ he says.

“That’s the biggest takeaway of why we did it.”

While copper is more expensive than other materials for hospitals, officials say the additional cost is worth it, both to patients and the hospitals themselves, the latter which can face stiff penalties under Medicare quality and safety incentive programs. One advantage of copper cited by the CDA is that the antibacterial efficacy of copper metals won’t wear away. “They are solid through-and-through and are effective even when scratched. They offer long-term protection; whereas, antimicrobial coatings are fragile, and can deteriorate and wear off after time,” the organization says.

“Although there is an increased cost for installing copper alloy products compared to stainless steel or porcelain, the lives saved and costs reduced by decreasing the number of healthcare-associated infections far exceed the initial input,” says Grinnell College’s Hinsa-Leasure in a hospital news release.

Linden estimates the cost of copper is about 15 percent more than stainless steel.

“But we’re not talking about expensive products,” he notes. “A door handle, knobs on furniture, the sink handles, the toilet flusher, they’re not expensive to begin with. So 15 percent more for copper is really not a barrier.

“When you figure that the average increased cost for a patient once they get a hospital-acquired infection is $43,000 to their hospital stay, the ROI actually is pretty dramatic for utilizing copper-touch surfaces and that’s why were seeking to deploy it throughout our medical center,” he says.

“We know it’s the right thing to do,” Harrick adds. “If copper can be the little helper behind the scenes, behind the housekeepers, behind everything else, if it helps one patient in the lifetime that I’m here, then it’s all worth it for that one patient.”

Swain concurs, adding that while more costly, the benefits that antimicrobial copper bring to patients is well worth the cost.

“Anytime you can provide a higher level of care to the patient, healthcare organizations owe that to them,” Swain says. “It’s just a matter of if they have that in their budget to withstand that price differential.”

“It’s not just about here,” Harrick adds. “It’s about helping patients worldwide.”

Cover photos courtesy of Copper Development Association.

News Briefs

Prioritizing Safety Can Save Lives, Hospital Survey Shows

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ashington, D.C. — Failures in hospital safety infrastructure lead to patient injuries, accidents, and infections that cause some 200,000 U.S. deaths each year, according to The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that surveys hospital quality, safety, and transparency.

The Leapfrog Group has just released this year’s state rankings for The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. The group collects and tabulates data from participating hospitals and assigns A, B, C, D and F letter grades to compile its annual report, which is considered widely to be the gold standard measure of patient safety in the United States.

Of the 2,633 hospitals evaluated this year, 844 earned an “A,” 658 earned a “B,” 954 earned a “C,” 157 earned a “D” and 20 earned an “F.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is calculated by top patient safety experts and is peer reviewed. The Safety Grade can be used as a tool by health consumers in choosing a hospital.

The rankings are based on data related to: • Infection control • Training and support of health care teams • Facility protocols and standards for preventing errors States are ranked, as well. State rankings are based on the number of “A” hospitals Leapfrog compares to the total number of hospitals that operate within that state. The listing of states can be found at http:// www.hospitalsafetygrade.org/your-hospitals-safety-grade/state-rankings.

The top five states for percentage of “A” rated hospitals for 2016 were: Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Under the category of “significant improvements over time,” North Carolina has risen from number 19 in the country in the Spring 2013 Safety Grade to number five in the Fall 2016 Safety Grade. Idaho also has made continuous strides, moving from number 45 in spring 2013 to number two in Fall 2016.

Other states with notable improvements include Utah, ranked number six in the Fall 2016 Safety Grade, and Vermont, ranked number eight. For the first time, the top ranked state is Hawaii, while the bottomranked states, each with no “A” hospitals, are Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota and Washington, D.C.

Patient Safety in the Rural USA is Improving

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ashington, D.C. — According to a new Health and Human Services report, rural healthcare facilities have shown a steady reduction in hospital-acquired infections, such as central line-associated blood stream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and surgical site infection.

Payment policies under the Affordable Care Act and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are aimed at improving patient safety and care. The government (HHS) imposes penalties on healthcare organizations that fall short of set standards.

Only 14 percent of rural facilities were penalized during the study period, as compared to 26 percent of urban providers. HHS officials attribute this in part to superior care coordination work on the part of rural providers made possible by the strong referral and post-acute care provider networks that “can encourage collaboration across care types and settings.”

That said, rural patient populations pose significant demographic challenges for healthcare, including high rates of chronic illness, poverty, substance abuse, and a high percentage of older patients (compared to urban and suburban areas). Rural healthcare consumers are less likely to have health insurance coverage. What’s more, their access to care is often limited by the declining number of physicians and distances they must travel to receive that care.

Rural hospitals make up roughly 40 percent of acute-care hospitals and less than 20 percent of acute-care hospital beds across the country.

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News Briefs

Community Hospitals – Room for Improvement

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ccording to a ContagionLive.com article, a Duke University Medical Center study shows that weak infrastructure and training systems plague many community hospitals, causing them to lag behind the quality of larger hospital systems when it comes to important patient care parameters.

Community hospitals, those organizations defined as having fewer than 500 beds would seem to have certain advantages of small size, such as fewer administrative layers and closer coordination between departments.

The Duke study, however, revealed that many of these hospitals fall short in three main areas: financial resources, data management and training.

The Duke researchers also noted resistance to adopting new ideas and technology, as well as proven best practices. For instance, only one in four facilities was found to have a designated, paid infection control specialist on staff.

Other weak areas include understaffed and underfunded microbiology labs, insufficient staff to deal with regulatory mandates, inadequate continuing education programming, misinformation and inaccurate data.

Speaking at the most recent annual conference of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Daniel Sexton, MD, Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention said he believes that data management may be the biggest challenge faced by community hospitals.

Without an effective data feedback loop, this weakness poses obstacles to effective infection control, top-notch staff performance – and dangerously, patient safety. Sexton blames increased rates of Carbapenemresistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) on community hospitals where transmissions go undetected until too late because the onsite microbiology testing is inadequate.

The Duke study revealed a prevalence of misinformation and wrong beliefs leading to what Sexton calls “incorrect/suboptimal/toxic therapies” leaving patients vulnerable increasing the length of their hospital stays.

In addition to the training programs that do not go beyond meeting minimum compliance requirements, the Duke study showed weak policies and stewardship regarding antibiotic use resulting in over-prescription.

“Somehow the status quo needs to change so that healthcare workers are educated at the same level as people who work for Apple and people who test the jet engines before you take off,” Sexton told the conference attendees.

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

esperia, CA — Indiana-based Aemerge RedPak (RedPak) has received approvals to build a 37.7 square foot medical waste processing facility on 4.5 acres in an industrially-zoned area just outside San Bernardino, California.

The plant will use RedPak’s patented Carbonizer® technology that employs a negative pressure, anaerobic environment and high temperature to convert organic waste to energy, or usable raw material.

According to the company’s website, the Carbonizer® process accommodates multiple and mixed waste streams, including metals, glass, and aggregate, as well as medical and hazardous industrial waste. RedPak has proven the efficiency and safety of this technology at its flagship facility in Indianapolis, which can process two tons of mixed waste per hour.

Having secured the go-ahead for the project, RedPak will be the only facility in California permitted to treat all types of medical waste.

The company’s patented Carbonizer® waste treatment system has been approved by the California Department of Public Health, Medical Waste Management Program, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

This new plant is expected to be operational by the end of first quarter 2017. The facility will have 20 employees.

2016

Buyers’ Guide DIRECTORY

CATEGORY LISTINGS Air & Surface Cleaning/ Disinfection Systems 1 Priority Env. Svcs., Inc Abatement Technologies Advanced Vapor Technologies, LLC AmeriVap Systems, Inc Biomist, Inc Bioquell Inc Cleanint Daylight Medical Hygiena Infection Prevention Technologies, LLC sBioMed LLC Steriliz TRU-D LLC TSK Products UltraViolet Devices Inc UVAIRx Inc Vaportek Inc Xenex Healthcare Services

Alternative Energy Systems NewWay Global Energy PEAT International Inc SunWize Technologies Inc ZeroWaste Energy Systems

Automated Equipment & Container Cleaning Systems Aaqua Tools ARE Industries Better Engineering McClure Industries, Inc Neptune Wash Solutions

Automated Wheelchair Disinfection Systems Hubscrub Company

Balers & Compactors Allegheny Shredders American Baler Co Compaction Technologies Harris IPS Balers Mfg J.V. Manufacturing, Inc Marathon Equipment Co San-I-Pak Inc The Mark-Costello Company

Containers, Carts, Casters & Wheels (Linens) Arrow Casters & Wheels Bomac Carts McClure Industries, Inc PCM Medical Waste Recycling Tecni-Quip Carts

Containers/Carts (Recycling & Document Storage) Big Dog Shred Bins Bomac Carts Jake, Connor & Crew Inc Jedstock Inc McClure Industries, Inc Rehrig Pacific Company Schaefer Systems Intl., Inc Scott Distribution LLC / Scott Containers Solutions Inc Tecni-Quip Carts Toter Inc

Containers (Pharmaceutical, Medical Waste, & Sharps) BD Medical Covidien Daniels Sharpsmart Jake, Connor & Crew Inc McClure Industries, Inc PCM Medical Waste Recycling Post Medical Inc Rehrig Pacific Company San-I-Pak Inc Scott Distribution LLC / Scott Containers Snyder Industries Inc Solutions Inc

WINTER 2016

Food Waste Containers & Compostable Bags BioBag Ecosafe Zero Waste Jake, Connor & Crew Inc Natur-Tec®

Hand Hygiene Compliance System DebMed USA LLC

Hazardous & Regulated Waste Disposal & Infection Compliance Services AMS Med Waste LLC Assured Waste Solutions Clean Harbors Curtis Bay Medical Waste Svcs.

Golder Associates Inc JT Environmental Consulting Kessler Consulting Inc Medasend Biomedical Inc MedAssure One Sustainabile Method Recycling LLC Pharma-Cycle Inc Prime Compliance Quest Recycling Services, LLC San-I-Pak Inc Sharps MD Sioux Services LLC Solid Waste Solutions Corp SRI Surgical Stericycle Visionary Solutions LLC

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

7

2016 Healthcare Facility Management Services HHA Services Sodexo

Janitorial Supplies & Services Century Products LLC Geerpres Inc Jani-King International, Inc UniFirst Corporation Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC TL Services, Inc

Liquid Waste Disposal Systems (Biohazardous) Ansell Sandel Med. Solutions Bemis Health Care DiSorb Systems, Inc Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc Liquitech, Inc Stryker

Medical Waste Device Recycling Implant Recycling Stryker

hes Buyers’ Guide CATEGORY LISTINGS

Medical Waste Treatment Systems (Autoclaves, etc)

Sanitizing Products, Hand Cleaners & Dispensing Systems

The Bell Process BioMedical Technology Solutions BN Green Technologies Bondtech Corporation Clean Waste Systems ECODAS Honua Technologies The Mark-Costello Company OnSite Sterilization, LLC OZONATOR Industries Paragon Waste Solutions Red Bag Solutions San-I-Pak Inc Sterilis Medical Corporation SteriMed Medical Waste STI Biosafe

Betco BioMed Protect, LLC Clorox Professional Products CS Medical, LLC Deardorff Fitzsimmons Corp Dial Corp, A Henkel Company Ecolab Inc Elyptol, Inc Evolon/Freudenberg Co Georgia-Pacific Professional Germ Pro Products GOJO Industries Inc Kimberly-Clark Professional Micro-Scientific® Palmero Health Care Parker Laboratories Proctor & Gamble Professional Disposables Intl.

Resurgent Health & Medical Safety-Med Products Spartan Chemical Co, Inc Sporicidin by Contec, Inc Surfacide UltraClenz Vital Vio Wexford Labs Xpedx

Motorized Carts, Tugs & Lifting Systems Bayne Premium Lift Systems PHS West Inc Red Devil Equipment Co

Odor Control West Sanitation Services Inc Zorbx

Recycling Services Battery Solutions

Regulatory Services & Training Compliance Publishing Corp

Attention Advertisers !

Now is the time to schedule your 4-color logo/ photo listing in next year’s Buyers’ Guide Issue.

For details, contact Rick or Donna Downing at 440-257-6453 or downassoc2@oh.rr.com.

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

Shredding Equipment (Plant-Based & Office Shredders) Allegheny Shredders Cumberland Engrg. Corp MBM Corporation Harris Republic Machine Security Engineered Machinery Co Shred-Tech UNTHA America Vecoplan, LLC WEIMA America, Inc Whitaker Brothers

Solvent Recovery Systems B/R Instrument Corp

Spill Control Materials SorbTech Mfg, Inc UltraTech International

Tracking Devices & Software (Healthcare) Walsh Integrated

Trade Associations American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) Copper Development Association Inc Medical Waste Management Association (MWMA) Practice Greenhealth

Uniforms & Work Clothing UniFirst Corporation

Waste Tracking & Routing Software (Medical Waste Collection & Transport) Clear Computing eRouteIt, LLC EZshred Software Imec Technologies Inc PC Scale Inc™ RouteOptix Mgmt Systs Inc

X-Ray Film Recovery/ Silver Reclamation AMS Med Waste LLC Arch Enterprises, Inc Commodity Resource & Environmental Inc Pyromet Silver Refiners Rochester Silver Works LLC United DMS of Tennessee LLC

2016 A

1 Priority Environmental Services, Inc Fort Worth, TX (817) 595-0790 www.go1priority.com

Aaqua Tools

Rancho Cordova, CA (800) 777-2922 www.AaquaTools.com

Abatement Technologies Suwanee, GA (800) 634-9091 www.abatement.com

Advanced Vapor Technologies, LLC Everett, WA (800) 997-6584 www.advap.com

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

American Baler Co

Bellevue, OH (800) 843-7512 www.americanbaler.com

Chicago, IL (312) 422-3800 www.ashe.org

AmeriVap Systems, Inc Dawsonville, GA (800) 763-7687 www.amerivap.com

AMS Med Waste LLC

3 Walter Court Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 (855) 633-9278 Denise Hammer www.amsmedwaste.com

Chatsworth, CA (866) 764-3327 www.sandelmedical.com

Arch Enterprises, Inc Mexico, MO (800) 835-0478 www.archenterprises.com PO Box 80 Delmont, PA 15626 (800) 245-2497 Joe Barush solutions@alleghenyshredders.com www.alleghenyshredders.com Allegheny Security Grinders are your solution when the highest level of destruction is required. Utilizing our proprietary single-shaft rotary design coupled with screen sizes ranging from 3/8” to 4”, these powerful grinders provide secure dump and run destruction of confidential documents, digital media, plastics, and various types of medical waste.

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Better Engineering

Baltimore, MD (800) 229-3380 www.betterengineering.com

BioBag

American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE)

Ansell Sandel Medical Solutions

Allegheny Shredders

B

ARE Industries

Wichita, KS (316) 943-5000 www.areindustries.com

Arrow Casters & Wheels Murrieta, CA (888) 449-2228 www.arrowcaster.com

Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) Chicago, IL (312) 422.3860 www.ahe.org

Assured Waste Solutions Gastonia, NC www.assuredwaste.com

Palm Harbor, FL (727) 789-1646 www.biobagusa.com

B/R Instrument Corp

9119 Centreville Rd Easton, MD 21601 (410) 820-8800 Kathryn Ebling Kathy@brinstrument.com www.brinstrument.com Recycle, Recover, Reuse waste solvents and formalin from the Clinical Laboratory to reclaim up to 95% purchasing and disposal costs.

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Battery Solutions

Howell, MI (800) 852-8127 www.batteryrecycling.com

Big Dog Shred Bins

Poway, CA (855) 792-4050 www.bigdogshredbins.com

BioMedical Technology Solutions, Inc Englewood, CO (866) 525-2687 www.bmtscorp.com

Biomist, Inc

Wheeling, IL (847) 850-5530 www.biomistinc.com

Bioquell Inc

Horsham, PA (215) 682-0225 www.bioquell.com

BN Green Technologies San Diego, CA (855) 294-2227 www.bngreentech.com

Bayne Premium Lift Systems Greenville, SC (800) 535-2671 www.baynethinline.com

BD Medical

Franklin Lakes, NJ (201) 847-6800 www.bd.com

The Bell Process

www.thebellprocess.com

Bemis Health Care

Sheboygan Falls, WI (920) 467-4621 www.bemishealthcare.com

Betco

Toledo, OH (888)GO-BETCO www.betco.com WINTER 2016

Bomac Carts

201 Badger Parkway Darien, WI 53114 (262) 882-5000 Cindy Lapidakis sales@bomaccarts.com www.bomaccarts.com H e a v y - D u t y u t i l i t y ca r t s a re our specialty. From Recycling, Manufacturing, Shipping/Receiving, Commercial Laundry and Mailrooms, our offering meets a broad range of uses in many industries.

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

9

2016

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

B Continued

CS Medical, LLC

Creedmoor, NC (877) 255-9472 www.csmedicalllc.com

Cumberland Engineering Corp New Berlin, WI (262) 641-8600 www.cumberland-plastics.com

Clean Waste Systems

Bondtech Corporation

1278 Highway 461 Somerset, KY 42503 (800) 414-4231 Elsa Brown elsabrown@bondtech.net www.bondtech.net BONDTECH is a full service company designing, engineering and manufacturing autoclave systems, with material handling, for technical industries such as infectious medical waste treatment, aerospace composites, glass lamination, rubber vulcanizing, wood treating, yarn setting and many other applications in industry and medical waste management. See ad on pg 6

200 Birch Ave S Maple Lake, MN 55358-0304 (877) 478-5195 Peter Jude peter@cleanwastesystems.com www.cleanwastesystems.com Clean Waste Systems is the designer, manufacturer, parts and service company for its patented, OMW1000 Ozone Medical Waste Processing System in the United States and foreign markets. Clean Waste Systems specializes in the design and development of ozone-based technologies using Humidizone™ for its sterilization and sanitation processes. See ad on pg 20

Commodity Resource & Environmental Inc

C

Burbank, CA (818) 843-2811 www.creweb.com

Greensboro, NC (800) 927-0981 www.centuryproductsllc.com

Compaction Technologies

Century Products LLC

Clean Harbors

Norwell, MA (877) 500-6737 www.cleanharbors.com

Cleanint

Georgetown, TX (888)715-0464 www.cleanint.com

Clear Computing

Tinton Falls, NJ (888) 332-5327 www.clearcomputing.com

Clorox Professional Products

Oakland, CA (800) 537-1415 www.cloroxprofessional.com 10

Mendota Hts, MN (877) 860-6900 www.compactiontechnologies.com

Compliance Publishing Corp

Edina, MN (800) 242-9723 www.compliancepublishing.com

Copper Development Association Inc New York, NY (212) 251-7200 www.copper.org

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

59100 Roubaix France +33 3 20 70 98 65 www.ecodas.com

Ecolab Inc

St Paul, MN (877) 927-9726 www.ecolab.com

Ecosafe Zero Waste

Baltimore, MD (855) 228-1715 www.curtisbayenergy.com

Surrey, BC Canada (604) 560-5133 www.ecosafezerowaste.com

D

Elyptol, Inc

Daniels Sharpsmart

Chicago, IL (312) 546-8900 www.danielsinternational.com

Daylight Medical

Middleburgh Hts, OH (800) 459-8500 www.daylightmedical.com

Corp

Merlin, OR (888) 582-2700 www.dfcorp.us

Santa Monica, CA (424) 500-8099 www.elyptol.com

eRouteIt, LLC

Lincoln, NE (402) 202-2518 www.erouteit.com

Evolon/Freudenberg Company Durham, NC (919) 479-7212 www.evolon.com

DebMed USA LLC Charlotte, NC (866) 783-0422 www.debmed.com

Dial Corp, A Henkel Company

Scottsdale, AZ (800) 253-DIAL www.dialprofessional.com

DiSorb Systems, Inc Philadelphia, PA (866) 287-6672 www.disorb.com

Riverside, MO (888) 466-6633 www.dornoch.com

(508) 261-8000 www.covidien.com

ECODAS

Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services

Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc

Covidien

E

EZshred

PO Box 8 Chesterland, OH 44026 (877) 392-7123 tjulian@ezshred.com www.ezshred.com EZshred is a simple to learn, yet extremely powerful software system to run your medical waste and shredding business. From scheduling and routing using Google maps to invoicing and creating manifests, EZshred takes care of the details so you have time to manage and grow your business. Ask about our Android and Apple smartphone apps, recycling, record storage solutions and cloud services as well! See ad on pg 5

2016 G

Geerpres Inc

Muskegon, MI (231) 773-3211 www.geerpres.com

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

Honua Technologies Honolulu, HI (808) 523-3140 www.honuatech.com

J

J.V. Manufacturing, Inc Springdale, AR (800) 678-7320 www.jv.com

JT Environmental Consulting

Professional

Atlanta, GA (866) 435-5647 www.gppro.com

Orlando, FL (888) 583-6826 www.jtenv.com

Germ Pro Products

Jake, Connor & Crew Inc

Tampa, FL (800) 966-5367 www.germproproducts.com

Gient Heating Industry Co

Chongqing, China (613) 794-6886 info@gient.cn www.gient.net Gient is China’s leading manufacturer of medical waste treatment systems.

We provide smart medical waste treatment solutions with latest technologies and lowest cost.

See ad pg 16

GOJO Industries Inc Akron, OH (800) 321-9647 www.gojo.com

Golder Associates Inc solutions@golder.com www.golder.com

H

Harris

Hubscrub Company

1015 Candia Rd Manchester, NH 03109 (603) 624-4243 Karl Soderquist service@hubscrub.com www.hubscrub.com HUBSCRUB is an automated wheelchair cleaning and disinfection system that eliminates all contamination of C-Diff, CRE and MRSA in 6 minutes - independently tested and verified. Disinfection technology is ultra-violet (UV).

Hygiena

Camarillo, Ca (888) HYGIENA www.hygiena.com

I

Imec Technologies Inc Champaign, IL (217) 643-7488 www.imec.ie

Implant Recycling

Detroit, MI (877) 446-4544 www.implantrecycling.com

Infection Prevention Technologies, LLC

Cordele, GA (800) 468-5657 www.harrisequip.com

Auburn Hills, MI (800) 359-9855 www.infectionpreventiontechnologies.com

HHA Services

IPS Balers Mfg

St Clair Shores, MI (800) HHA-1140 www.hhaservices.com

The Mark-Costello Co

Addison, TX (800) JANIKING www.janiking.com

15351 Texaco Ave Paramount, CA 90723 (562) 630-7950 www.mark-costello.com Celebrating 57 years of specializing and providing solutions to the most complex situations that have made us the leader in the Waste Handling Equipment, On-Site Medical Waste Sterilization Equipment and Industrial Recycling Equipment in the marketplace. See ad on pg 18

Jedstock Inc

MBM Corporation

Kitchener, ON Canada (877) 565-JAKE (5253) www.jakeconnorandcrew.com

Jani-King International, Inc

Middlesex, NJ (732) 356-7888 www.jedstock.com

North Charleston, SC (800) 223-2508 www.mbmcorp.com

K

Kessler Consulting Inc Tampa, FL (813) 971-8333 www.kesconsult.com

Kimberly-Clark Professional

Roswell, GA (678) 352-6207 www.kcprofessional.com

L Environmental Solutions Lombard, IL (630) 693-0500 www.liquitech.com

M

Marathon Equipment Co Vernon, AL (800) 269-7237 www.nexgenbalers.com

McClure Industries, Inc

9051 SE 55th Ave Portland, OR 97206 (503) 777-2821 Kim Michael kim@mcclureindustries.com www.mcclureindustries.com McClure Industries, Inc. manufactures over 80 models of Sanitrux laundry, linen and trash carts. Sanitrux are ASTM-E tested and certified Class II fire retardant and meet or exceed all NFPA fire codes. Sanitrux are specifically designed for the tough commercial environment. See ad on pg 4

Medasend Biomedical Inc Garden Grove, CA (800) 200-3581 www.medasend.com

Baxley, GA

www.ipsbalers.com WINTER 2016

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

11

2016 M Continued

MedAssure

Farmingdale, NJ (732) 363-7444 www.medassureservices.com

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

P

Palmero Health Care Stratford, CT (800) 344-6424 www.palmerohealth.com

Paragon Waste Solutions Medical Waste Management Assoc

3030 N 3rd St, #940 Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 621-4007 www.medwasteonline.org Association serving transporters, processors and healthcare professionals responsible for their organization’s disposal of medical and regulated waste. See ad on pg 19

Rolling Meadows, IL (847) 454-0835 www.micro-scientific.com

N

Natur-Tec®

Golden, CO (720) 390-3169 www.paragonws.com

Parker Laboratories

F (973) 276-9500 www.parkerlabs.com

PC Scale Inc™

Oxford, PA (800) 962-9264 www.pcscaletower.com

PCM Medical Waste Recycling

Newport, RI (617) 755-0883 www.pharma-cycle.com

NewWay Global Energy

PHS West Inc

Johnson Creek, WI (920) 988-0686 www.newwayglobal.net

Hanover, MN (888) 639-5438 www.phswest.com

O

Post Medical Inc

Regina, SK Canada (877) 662-7555 www.ozonatorindustries.com 12

Cincinnati, OH (513) 983-1100 www.pg.com

Professional Disposables Intl (PDI) Orangeburg, NY (845) 365-1700 www.pdihc.com

Quest Recycling Services, LLC

Orangeburg, SC (866) 303-4437 www.neptunewash.com

OZONATOR Industries

Proctor & Gamble

Q

Pharma-Cycle Inc

Pottstown, PA (610) 495-8214 www.askonsite.com

Wyoming, MI (616) 893-8243 www.thehipaaman.com

PEAT International Inc

Neptune Wash Solutions

OnSite Sterilization, LLC

Prime Compliance

Aston, PA (610) 497-1743 www.pyromet999.com

Circle Pines, MN (763) 404-8700 www.natur-tec.com

Louisville, KY (502) 561-3404 www.osmllc.net

Reston, VA (888) 688-3332 www.practicegreenhealth.org

Pinellas Park, FL (727) 547-6277 www.pcmmedicalwasterecycling.com

Northbrook, IL (847) 559-8567 www.peat.com

One Sustainabile Method Recycling LLC

Practice Greenhealth

Frisco, TX (877) 321-1811 www.questrecycling.com

R

Red Bag Solutions Baltimore, MD 21227 (877) 973-3224 www.redbag.com

Red Devil Equipment Co

Alpharetta, GA (866) 330-4845 www.postmedical.com

Plymouth, MN (800) 221-1083 www.reddevilequipment.com

Attention Advertisers !

Now is the time to schedule your 4-color logo/ photo listing in next year’s Buyers’ Guide Issue.

For more information, contact Rick or Donna Downing at 440-257-6453 or downassoc2@oh.rr.com.

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

2105 Barrett Park Dr, Ste 109 Kennesaw, GA 30144 (844) 4-Rehrig (473-4744) medicalwaste@rehrig.com www.rehrigpacific.com Combined with a widely recognized commitment to customer service, Rehrig has become a leading supplier to many of the largest and most innovative companies in the world.

Now, Rehrig is applying our expertise in secure reusable injection molded containers to help improve the collection of Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) and Sharps. Our new line of products offers sustainable solutions for both generators and disposal companies alike. See ad on pg 2

Republic Machine

Louisville, KY (502) 637-6778 www.republicmachine.com

Resurgent Health and Medical

Golden, CO (800) 932-7707 www.resurgenthealth.com

Rochester Silver Works LLC

Rochester, NY (585) 743-1415 www.rochestersilverworks.com

RouteOptix Management Systems Inc Kitchener, ON Canada (866) 926-7849 www.routeoptix.com

Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC Winchester, VA (540) 667-8700 www.rubbermaidcommercial.com

2016 S

Safety-Med Products Burlington, WI (866) 421-3400 www.safety-med.com

San-I-Pak, Inc

Tracy, CA (209) 836-2310 www.sanipak.com

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

Sharps MD

Tarpon Springs, FL (727) 940-5872 www.wastealliance.net

Sioux Services LLC

Reading, PA (484) 638-1126 www.siouxservices.com

Security Engineered Machinery Co, Inc Westboro, MA (800) 225-9293 www.semshred.com

Snyder Industries Inc

6940 “0” St Lincoln, NE 68510 (888) 422-8683 info@snyderplasticsolutions.com www.medwastecontainers.com Snyder Medical Waste is a special division of Snyder Industries, Inc. and was established in 1957. Snyder’s extensive line of returnable containers is considered the industry standard for the collection and transportation of medical waste. See ad on pg 17

Gaithersburg, MD (800) 763-3946 www.sodexousa.com

Solid Waste Solutions Corp

295 Pinebush Rd Cambridge, ON N1T 1B2 Canada (800) 465-3214 shred@shred-tech.com www.shred-tech.com Shred-Tech® is globally recognized for designing and manufacturing firstclass reduction systems and shredding machinery to cost-effectively meet your waste reduction and recycling needs. See ad on pg 4

Spartan Chemical Company, Inc

Surfacide

Maumee, OH (800) 537-8990 www.spartanchemical.com

Naperville, IL (630) 861-9000 www.surfacide.com

T

Tampa, FL (813) 891-9550 www.srisurgical.com

Sodexo

Shred-Tech

San Jose, CA (866) 476-9493 www.sunwize.com

SRI Surgical

Schaefer Systems International, Inc

Grapevine, TX (817) 756-6909 www.scottcontainers.com

Plaistow, NH (570) 371-8464 www.sorb-tech.com

Spartanburg, SC (800) 762-3472 www.sporicidin.com

Orem, UT (801) 922-1111 www.sbiomed.com

Scott Distribution LLC DBA Scott Containers

SunWize Technologies Inc

Sporicidin by Contec, Inc

sBioMed LLC

Charlotte, NC (704) 944-4500 www.ssi-schaefer.us

SorbTech Mfg, Inc

Evanston, IL (847) 328-5622 www.solidwastesolutionscorp.com

Solutions Inc

Louisville, KY (877) 228-2901 www.medicalwastecontainers.com We are always seeking editorial content from our readers.

If you have an article idea, or a big announcement about your business or healthcare facility, please email it to: downassoc2@oh.rr.com.

Stericycle

Lake Forest, IL (847) 367-5910 www.stericycle.com

Sterilis Medical Corporation

Boxborough, MA (508) 875-1070 www.sterilismedical.com

Steriliz

Rochester, NY (855) 882-2013 www.steriliz.us

SteriMed Medical Waste Solutions Inc Farmington Hills, MI (855) 783-7463 www.sterimedsystems.com

Steris Corporation Mentor, OH (440) 354-2600 www.steris.com

STI Biosafe

Indianapolis, IN (317) 858-8099 www.stibiosafe.com

Stryker

960 Crossroads Blvd Seguin, TX 78155 (800) 826 1245 Jobeth Reilly tqcarts@tqind.com www.tqind.com Manufacturer of Durable Carts for the following: Health Care Waste, Recycling, Clean and Soiled Linen Transport, Receiving/Shipping and Supply Chain. TQ also offers a line of air barrier covers for any type of cart or storage unit. All cart models are offered a choice of fabrication materials: Stainless, Aluminum, Poly, Wire or Fiberglass to meet your requirements 100% and price point.

Custom Capabilities and Free Design Service available. See ad on pg 17

TL Services, Inc

Van Buren, AR (877) 474-7227 www.tlservices.com

Toter Inc

Statesville, NC (800) 424-0422 www.toter.com

TRU-D LLC

(269) 385-2600 www.stryker.com WINTER 2016

Tecni-Quip Carts

Memphis, TN (800) 774 5799 www.tru-d.com

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

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2016 T Continued

TSK Products

Eatontown, NJ (732) 982-1090 www.tsk-products.com

hes Buyers’ Guide COMPANY INDEX

UVAIRx Inc

Visionary Solutions LLC

Centennial, CO (303) 327-5355 www.uvairx.com

Knoxville, TX (865) 482-8670 www.vs-llc.com

V

Vital Vio

Vaportek Inc

U

UltraClenz Jupiter, F

Troy, NY (518) 268-1101 www.vitalvio.com

Sussex, WI (800) 237-6367 www.vaportek.com

W

www.ultraclenz.com

Walsh Integrated

Montreal, Que Canada (514) 595-8500 www.walshintegrated.com

UltraTech International Jacksonville, FL (800) 764-9563 www.spillcontainment.com

WEIMA America, Inc

UltraViolet Devices, Inc Valencia, CA (661) 295-8140 www.uvdi.com

UniFirst Corporation Wilmington, MA (800) 455-7654

United DMS of Tennessee LLC Knoxville, TN (865) 637-2560 www.uniteddms.com

UNTHA America

Hampton, NH (603) 601-2304 www.untha-america.com

Vecoplan LLC

PO Box 7224 High Point, NC 27264 (336) 861-6070 Bob Gilmore info@vecoplanllc.com www.vecoplanllc.com Vecoplan engineers, manufactures, and provides parts and service on a range of shredders and systems for processing medical waste, destroying confidential records, and recycling scrap. An integral component in turnkey waste sterilization systems, our machines are used to shred sharps, textiles, plastics, and for red bag processing. AAA NAID compliant for secure destruction of paper, film, disks, and hard drives. See ad on pg 15

Fort Mill, SC (888) 440-7170 www.weimaamerica.com

West Industries

Baton Rouge, LA (225) 302-5570 www.westindustries.com

Wexford Labs

Kirkwood, MO (800) 506-1146 www.wexfordlabs.com

Whitaker Brothers

Rockville, MD (800) 243-9226 www.whitakerbrothers.com

X

Xenex Healthcare Services LLC San Antonio, TX (800) 553-0069 www.xenex.com

Xpedx

Loveland, OH (888) 973-3976 www.xpedx.com

Z

ZeroWaste Energy Systems Kleinburg, ON Canada www.zwes.ca

Zorbx

Strongsville, OH (800) 201-5530 www.zorbx.com

Attention

Advertisers !

Now is the time to schedule your 4-color logo/photo listing in next year’s Buyers’ Guide Issue.

For more information, contact Rick or Donna Downing at 440-257-6453 or downassoc2@oh.rr.com.

Wife of late American Sniper Chris Kyle to keynote MWMA 2017

P

hoenix, AZ — The Medical Waste Management Association (MWMA) recently announced that Taya Kyle, widow of slain American Sniper Chris Kyle, will be the keynote at its first annual conference in March. “The MWMA Board of Directors is delighted to host Mrs. Kyle,” says MWMA President Rob Marshall of Medsharps in San Antonio, TX. “Taya and her late husband represent the dedication to service and commitment to family and community we expect of all MWMA members.”

Chris Kyle was a United States Navy SEAL veteran and sniper. He served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat, including the Silver Star Medal, four Bronze Star Medals, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and numerous other unit and personal awards. In 2013, Kyle was killed at a gun range by a fellow ex-marine struggling with PTSD who he was trying to help.

In 2014, Kyle’s life and heroism were the subject of the Academy Award®-nominated movie American Sniper directed by Clint Eastwood.

Chris’s wife Taya Kyle has kept the memory and message of her late husband alive by speaking publicly on the importance of family, faith and country.

MWMA 2017 Conference and Expo will be held alongside the annual conference of the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID). The event will be held at the Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort, March 22-24, 2017.

Leading privacy and regulatory attorney Kirk Nahra will also be included among the event’s headlining speakers. Mr. Nahra is widely regarded as a leading authority on HIPAA regulations and will discuss the overlap between medical waste disposal and confidentiality requirements.

14

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

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News Briefs

Pneumonia Rates Linked to Hospital Ventilators Have Not Dropped

New study led by UConn School of Medicine shows ventilator-associated pneumonia has been stable and substanial since 2005

C

ontrary to data published by the Centers for Disease Control, ventilator-associated pneumonia rates in hospital intensive care units have not declined significantly since 2005, according to a new study out of the University Of Connecticut School of Medicine.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that about 10 percent of critically ill patients placed on a ventilator develop VAP. The finding is based on reviews of charts from hospitals across the country from 2005-2013.

“VAP is not going away; it still affects approximately one in 10 ventilated patients,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Mark L. Metersky of UConn Health’s Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. “Our findings are in stark contrast to the CDC’s report of a marked decline in VAP rates that had some believing that it may no longer be an important problem.”

Researchers reviewed data compiled by the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System from a representative sampling of 1,856 critically ill Medicare patients, ages 65 and older, who needed two or more days of mechanical ventilation.

While the VAP rates were stable throughout that time, the rates did not correlate with the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network reported rates which convey declining rates between 2006-2012 in medical and in surgical ICUs. The rate of VAP is a patient safety and healthcare delivery quality metric that many hospitals are scored on nationally.

Patients in need of mechanical ventilation are often the most critically ill in a medical or surgical ICU hospital setting. Research has shown that up to 15 percent of patients who get it may die from VAP. The study authors examined the prevalence of VAP in patients on a ventilator following a heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia or major surgery. These types of patients are at higher risk for developing pneumonia, a bacterial infection, due to the need for a tube extending down their throat and into their lungs to help them breathe.

“We have not beat this...Current hospital interventions that are used in an attempt to prevent VAP are not working,” said Metersky. “VAP is still a significant issue and needs more examination into how we survey its occurrence and report it, along with more research into how best to prevent this type of pneumonia in vulnerable patient populations.”

The potential impact of higher-than-expected VAP rates may be leading patients to experience complications or death from their lung infection, spend more time on a ventilator or in the ICU slowing recovery, increasing use of antibiotics leading to potential resistance, and also increase healthcare costs due to longer hospital stays.

Metersky collaborated on the study with colleagues at Qualidigm, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. It was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Target your products, equipment and services to more than 5,000 healthcare facilities and medical waste contractors throughout the U.S. ... Advertise in HES! call Today 440-257-6453

Multi-Tasking!

Vecoplan’s Universal Shredders Pull Double Duty!

IT’S A MEDICAL WASTE SHREDDER...

•

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Vecoplan has years of med-waste experience developing systems used in hospitals world wide for red bag processing Use as the first or last step in your med-waste treatment system Shreds sharps and other tough materials Shreds to an unrecognizable consistency Turnkey medical waste sterilization systems

...AND A SECURE DESTRUCTION SHREDDER...

•

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Large Hopper

The same Vecoplan med-waste shredders have also been used for years for confidential data destruction.

Gain control of HIPAA compliance and costs by “in house” destruction of records, disks, drives and other media Vecoplan shredders are AAA NAID compliant Vecoplan shredders are currently being used in hundreds of secure destruction operations

Hydraulic Ram l Auto-Feeds Materia or to the Cutting Rot

...ALL IN ONE!

ic Controls Mind Reader Log d, Ram Adjust Material Fee d Speeds Fee Direction and

Low Speed, High Torque or Single Cutting Rot d,

Consistently Size Unrecognizeable Particles

Phone: (336) 447-3565

vecoplanllc.com www.vecoplanllc.com WINTER 2016

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

15

News Briefs

Antibiotic Use in Hospitals Slow to Change

O

verall rates of antibiotic use in US hospitals did not change significantly from 2006 to 2012. In fact, use of certain antibiotic classes, including glycopeptides, betalactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, and carbapenems, increased significantly, according to study findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

A team of researchers from the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia conducted a retrospective analysis of adult and pediatric in-patient antibiotic use data. The data they used came from 300 participating acute care hospitals, based on more than 34 million discharges and representing 166 million patient-days. The researchers used data from the Truven Health MarketScan Hospital Drug Database (HDD) from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2012.

Patterns of antibiotic use in US hospitals may have important implications for reducing antibiotic-resistant infections. The researchers hope their findings can help inform national efforts to improve antibiotic use by suggesting key targets for improvement.

To plot trends, the study team used days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient-days and the proportion of hospital discharges in which a patient received at least one dose of an antibiotic during the hospital stay. They next calculated antibiotic usage categorized by antibiotic class, year, and other patient and facility characteristics.

The calculations showed that more than half the patients (55.1 percent) received at least a single dose of antibiotic during their hospital visit, contributing to a national DOT of 755 per 1000 patient-days. Noting the increased use of broad spectrum drugs, the study authors conveyed concern that rates for antibiotic resistance may outpace efforts to reverse overprescribing.

Daniels Health to Boost Global Operations after $186 Million Sale of Australian Business

D

aniels Health (previously Daniels Sharpsmart) recently announced it will be continue to grow its global business after signing a binding agreement to sell its Australian medical waste business to Tox Free Solutions Ltd (ASX:TOX) for $186m. In the past financial year, Daniels Australia had revenues of $83m generating an EBITDA of $21m.

“This sale is a natural evolution of the Daniels mission to bring to the rest of the world the same sort of innovative approach to medical and sharps waste disposal that we developed in Australia,” said company founder, Mr Dan Daniels.

“Ever since we introduced cleaner and more sustainable medical waste solutions in Australia back in 1986, we have been aware of a strong international demand for products such as our Sharpsmart and Clinismart reusable sharps and clinical waste containers,” said Mr Daniels.

“The sale of the Australian business will allow us to redouble our efforts in expanding into the global healthcare industry, particularly in our current key markets of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and South Africa,” Mr. Daniels added. Daniels Health chairman, Mr Markus Koch, said the international push was a natural progression for a company that had started out of a concern about the potential environmental damage resulting from the widespread practice of burning medical waste, including disposable sharps containers, in inefficient hospital incinerators. “It was this concern that led us to develop reusable sharps container systems and alternative waste treatment methods, which have resulted in millions of kilograms of plastic being prevented from disposal,” said Mr Koch.

Mr Daniels said Daniels Health provides a comprehensive offering of products and services that vary according to the demands of individual markets and include services such as safer sharps management, effective medical waste treatment, secure pharmaceutical and chemotherapy waste destruction and efficient waste segregation and logistics systems.

Continued on next page

info@gient.cn 16

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

WINTER 2016

www.gient.net

News Briefs Continued from previous page “We will continue tailoring our offerings to suit the various markets that we operate in and will invest to support the international growth we have already been experiencing,” he said.

As part of the binding agreement to acquire Daniels Health Pty Ltd and Daniels Manufacturing Pty Ltd by Tox Free Solutions, Mr Daniels and its chairman Mr Koch have been retained as advisers to the health business unit and will assist Toxfree on its strategic and operational management.

Mr Daniels has also agreed to subscribe for approximately 12.6 million Toxfree shares as part of the transaction and will become a shareholder in Toxfree on completion. About 300 employees across 17 sites including two incineration facilities in Sydney and Melbourne, and three joint venture managed sites in New Zealand, will transition to Toxfree.

No Excuses for Central-Line Catheter Infections, Consumer Reports Says

Med-Tainer™ Single Deposit Containers The Med-Tainer™ 10 and 17 Gallon Single Deposit Containers are versatile, “Point of Use”, reusable medical waste containers.

These sharps containers offer high volume capacity for needles, lab waste, IV bags, and tubing keeping waste collection costs at a minimum.

• FDA 510(k) clearance.

• US DOT Marking for transportation of regulated medical waste.

• OSHA Markings: Compliant with OSHA Exposure Control Plan (when supplied with decal).

C

Nest empty containers for return shipment and reuse.

Phone: 402-467-5221 • Fax: 402-465-1220 Email: info@snyderplasticsolutions.com

View our entire line of medical waste containers at:

www.medwastecontainers.com

100% CUSTOMIZABLE!

WORKHORSE

THE

entral-line infection rates dropped by 50 percent between 2008 and 2014, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Yet according to a newly released Consumer Reports review of 2000 hospitals, there should be no excuse for any such infections. Not only are these infections expensive to treat, they subject patients to unnecessary suffering, even death, and are almost entirely preventable by following simple hygiene rules.

When handled improperly, central-line catheters transmit germs – many of which are antibiotic resistant – directly into the bloodstream of patients. That is why a safety checklist was developed at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore in 2001. The list, developed by Peter J. Pronovost, M.D, is still considered the gold standard for infection control. The problem is, not enough hospitals are following it consistently.

The Pronovost list entailed five simple actions for doctors and other caregivers: 1. Wash their hands with soap.

2. Clean the patient’s skin with chlorhexidine antiseptic.

3. Put sterile drapes over the entire patient.

4. Wear a sterile mask, hat, gown and gloves.

5. Put a sterile dressing over the catheter site.

CDC figures show that close to 650,000 people develop infections while in U.S. hospitals each year, and 75,000 patients die. Hospital-acquired infections are the eighth-leading cause of death, just behind diabetes, with central-line infections accounting for 5 percent of all hospital infections, the agency said.

“Hospitals are moving in the right direction, but progress is slowing and too many hospitals have not adequately addressed the problem over the past five years,” Doris Peter, director of the Health Ratings Center at Consumer Reports, said.

Focusing on the next generation of physicians, the Consumer Reports survey looked at the central-line catheter infection rates at 233 teaching hospitals. For most, the rates were alarmingly high.

“That’s counterintuitive,” Peter says. “They are supposed to be places that represent the best in our healthcare system.”

Some of the hospitals cite the plethora of medical complications in the underserved patient populations they treat as one reason for the higher than expected infection rates, but the CDC statistics takes this into consideration. Others say the rates are in steady decline, thanks to awareness and training and policies are enforced.

In addition to increased vigilance to hand and other hygiene procedures, initiatives are underway at some hospitals to reduce the number of central-line catheters. Physicians make daily reviews to decide which patients really need IVs. In 2004, when the Pronovost checklist was implemented at more than 100 Michigan ICUs, central-line infection rates were cut in half. By 18 months the rate was down by almost 70 percent.

“If hospitals are meticulous about following the checklist, most infections can be avoided,” Dr. Pronovost said.

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WINTER 2016

Bio-Box Models • Built to Customers Requirements

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

17

News Briefs

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HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

O

ttawa, Canada — According to the latest figures released for 2014‑15, some 138,000 people throughout the Canadian provinces (excluding Quebec, which uses different metrics) were harmed in some way as a result of the hospital care they received.

The figures were compiled by two independent organizations, the Canadian Institute of Health Information and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, which released the collaborative annual report, Measuring Patient Harm in Canadian Hospitals.

The report indicates the need for improvement because the rate of hospital harm - 5.6 percent - has remained steady in Canada in recent years.

The report’s authors note that tracking and reporting harmful events is crucial to keeping patients safe; the data from hospitals can be used as a roadmap for improvement.

CIHI collects the same administrative data regularly, so the most recent status can be ascertained quickly. The tracking system records 31 types of harm in four categories: Healthcare/Medication-Associated Conditions, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Patient Accidents, Procedure-Associated Conditions. Frequently reported harms include urinary tract infections, pneumonia and electrolyte and fluid imbalances.

Established by Health Canada in 2003, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) works with governments, health organizations, leaders, and healthcare providers to inspire extraordinary improvement in patient safety and quality.

CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that was created in 1994 to collect and provide a central clearinghouse of information for Canada’s health system.

Study Tracked Infection Rates Where Copper-Infused Products Are Used

N

orfolk, VA – A recent study shows that using copper-infused bed linens and countertops reduces hospital acquired infection rates, reports a PilotOnline.com article.

The study, conducted by Sentara Healthcare and reviewed by an outside validator, showed an 83 percent decrease in Clostridium difficile and a 78 percent decrease in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) between test and control groups.

The study tracked infection rates in areas that used copper-infused products made by two companies: Norfolk-based EOS Surfaces LLC, which manufactures countertops, bathroom sinks, bedside tables and bed rails, and Richmond-based Cupron Inc., which produces copper-infused bed linens, thermal blankets, patient gowns, towels and washcloths with a copper product that’s been certified as antimicrobial by the Environmental Protection Agency Researchers conducted the 10-month study in two newly-built Sentara Leigh Hospital towers. The study consisted of two phases. The first phase compared 2016 infection transmission rates for patients in 124 rooms in the first tower that was completed with the 2014 rates for patients who had stayed in a 1970s-era wing of the hospital. The second study phase was conducted in the second tower, which was opened this year. Next, the research team will calculate and compare infection rates for 250 rooms in both new towers with rates for two other Sentara hospitals that did not have the copper products.

The findings of the first study phase convinced the health system to order copper-infused linens, countertops and bed rails for five Sentara Health System facilities: Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, Sentara CarePlex in Hampton and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and an assisted-living center.

The positive results have prompted hospital administrators to incorporate copper products into all Sentara hospitals and long-term‑care facilities.

www.royal-basket.com

18

Patient Safety in Canada: Room for Improvement

WINTER 2016

News Briefs

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Product/Equipment Profiles Tecni-Quip Carts Offers Security Locking Door Carts

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ecni-Quip now manufactures security locking door carts for health care and other industries in a variety of sizes and fabrication materials. These models safe guard linen, supplies, and promise to save your company money from stolen or misplaced inventory.

All Tecni-Quip carts are built for durability and are built in the USA. Extremely important for health care facilities and laundries serving this industry - all Tecni-Quip carts are approved for the transport and storage of linen, meet Joint Commission Codes and all current fire regulations.

Over 15 standard sizes of carts are offered by Tecni-Quip from mini carts 36” high to large 78+” tall carts. TQ’s smaller carts are a perfect choice in areas such as isolation, procedure units, or where a smaller inventory is required. Larger sizes offer 24-hour inventory or are perfect in areas that use a large quantity in normal business hours.

Tecni-Quip offers a variety of options: • Select from a choice of fabrication materials: Aluminum, Stainless, and Fire- Retardant Fiberglass.

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Variety of door types: Panel, Bi-Fold, See Thru Inventory Control or Roll-up Tambour style.

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Models are equipped with superior plate type casters in 6” or 8” and non-marking ball bearing wheels, making them extremely mobile and quiet when rolling.

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TQ offers motorized carts or detachable towing systems to provide additional ergonomic safety for your staff.

To learn more about Tecni-Quip Carts please contact a member of the TQ Cart Team at: 800-826-1245, TQcarts@TQind.com or visit www.TQind.com.

WINTER 2016

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS news

19

Formerly Medical Waste Management

healthcare

Environmental solutionsnews

6075 Hopkins Road • Mentor, OH 44060

PRSRT STD

Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com

Mentor, OH Permit No. 2

Covering Infection prevention, medical waste management & sustainable practices

VOL. XII NO. 4

WINTER 2016

TOP STORIES Special

buyers’ guide issue

Antimicrobial Copper Gaining Popularity in Battle Against HAIs

PAGE 1

Patient Safety in the Rural USA is Improving

PAGE 5

Community Hospitals – Room for Improvement

PAGE 6

Antibiotic Use in Hospitals Slow to Change

PAGE 16

Study Tracked Infection Rates Where Copper-Infused Products are Used

PAGE 18

www.cleanwastesystems.com

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