Medical Waste: A Minimal Hazard

1991 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 682-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Keene
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New York ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Medical Waste ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Treatment And Disposal ◽  
Elected Representatives ◽  
Potential Public Health ◽  
Medical Wastes

Healthcare providers need to be aware of the facts regarding the environmental impact of regulated medical wastes and be prepared to voice concern over unnecessary and costly regulations. The wash-ups of waste, a small percentage of which was medical waste, on the beaches on New York and New Jersey in the summers of 1987 and 1988 prompted an immediate response by state and federal governments. Although it was demonstrated that this medical waste did not originate in healthcare facilities,' the public demanded that their elected representatives do something about what they perceived to be the degradation of the environment and a risk to public health caused by “uncontrolled dumping” of “medical wastes” into the ocean. As a result of these and other occurrences, several environmental concerns regarding the treatment and disposal of medical waste were voiced by the public and acknowledged by the legislators. These included the following: aesthetic damage to the environment; potential public health problems associated with infectious agents in medical waste; and potential environmental contamination with hazardous chemicals and radioactivity associated with medical wastes.

Permitting, the Public and the Future of Animal Biosafety Facilities

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
Fred W. Quimby
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Medical Waste ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
The Public ◽  
Treatment Facilities ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Treatment And Disposal

Biocontainment facilities for animals are complex structures which must comply with numerous, sometimes conflicting, federal, state and local regulations. Agencies responsible for funding the construction of or permitting of such facilities must address the environmental impacts of the operation including the treatment and disposal of regulated medical waste. Our experience illustrates the complex nature of the biocontainment facility permitting process. Furthermore, these experiences have taught us to seek public input early in the planning process and incorporate the public's concerns during the environmental quality review process. Finally, the recent decision in New York to regulate ABSL-3 facilities as regulated medical waste treatment facilities has added significant new requirements and resulted in a cost escalation that threatens the entire project.

scholarly journals Controlling a Multicenter Outbreak Involving the New York/Japan Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusClone

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 845-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Coombs ◽  
H. Van Gessel ◽  
J. C. Pearson ◽  
M.-R. Godsell ◽  
F. G. O'Brien ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New York ◽  
Molecular Typing ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Outbreak Management ◽  
Healthcare Facilities

Objective.To describe the control of an outbreak of infection and colonization with the New York/Japan methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) clone in multiple healthcare facilities, and to demonstrate the importance of making an MRSA management policy involving molecular typing of MRSA into a statewide public health responsibility.Setting.A range of healthcare facilities, including 2 metropolitan teaching hospitals and a regional hospital, as well as several community hospitals and long-term care facilities in a nonmetropolitan healthcare region.Interventions.A comprehensive, statewide MRSA epidemiological investigation and management policy.Results.In May 2005, there were 3 isolates referred to the Western Australian Gram-Positive Bacteria Typing and Research Unit that were identified as the New York/Japan MRSA clone, a pandemic MRSA clone with the ability to spread and replace existing clones in a region. Subsequent investigation identified 28 additional cases of infection and/or colonization dating from 2002 onward, including 1 involving a colonized healthcare worker (HCW) who had previously been hospitalized overseas. Of the 31 isolates detected, 25 were linked epidemiologically and via molecular typing to the isolate recovered from the colonized HCW. Four isolates appeared to have been introduced separately from overseas. Although the isolate from the single remaining case patient was genetically indistinct from the isolates that spread within Western Australia, no specific epidemiological link could be established. The application of standard outbreak management strategies reduced further spread.Conclusions.The elimination of the New/York Japan MRSA clone in a healthcare region demonstrates the importance of incorporating MRSA management policy into statewide public health programs. The mainstays of such programs should include a comprehensive and effective outbreak identification and management policy (including pre-employment screening of HCWs, where applicable) and MRSA clone identification by multilocus sequence typing.

Baseline assessment of therapeutic injection practices in Pakistan in 2020: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
pp. 16-21
Author(s):  
Syed Sharaf Ali Shah ◽  
Safdar Pasha ◽  
Nikhat Iftikar ◽  
Altaf Ahmed Soomro ◽  
Nazia Farrukh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Injection Equipment ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Injection Safety

Objective: To assess the magnitude of the problem of injection safety in public and private health facilities in two districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between October and December 2020 among public and private health facilities of two districts of Pakistan: Gujarat in Punjab and Larkana in Sindh provinces. A convenient sample size of 60 healthcare facilities (30 from each district) was taken due to time and resource constraint. Six data collection tools were used which included structured observations and interviews with injection prescribers and providers based on WHO Revised Tool C, which were finalised after piloting. Results: Reuse of injection equipment was not observed in any of the 60 health facilities. In exit interviews of 120 patients, it was found that 27 (22.5%) patients reported receiving an injection, while 11 (9.2%) were prescribed intravenous (IV) drips. More injections and drips were prescribed in the private sector (n=15; 25.0%) in comparison with the public sector (n=12; 20.0%). Slightly higher proportion of IV drips were prescribed by the private providers when compared to public sector healthcare providers: 6 (10.0%) vs 5 (8.3%) respectively. Most of the prescribers (n=58; 96.7%) reported that patients who attended public and private health facilities demanded injectable medicines. Used syringes and drips were noted to be visible in open containers and buckets for final disposal in 20 (33.3%) assessed health facilities. Continuou...

scholarly journals The same old story: Workplace violence towards healthcare providers during COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 006-009
Author(s):  
Ali Kemal Erenler ◽  
Seval Komut ◽  
Ahmet Baydin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Zero Tolerance ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Intention To Leave ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Zero Tolerance Policy

Workplace violence (WPV) is a growing public health problem worldwide affecting physical and mental health of healthcare providers. It has many deterious consequences such as anxiety, burnout and intention to leave the job. With the pandemic, it is assumed that the incidence of workplace violence tends to increase. Particularly, misinformation about the nature of the disease create prejudice against staff working in healthcare facilities. There are several measures to be taken for prevention of physical and mental health of healthcare providers. A “zero-tolerance policy against violence” should be implemented. Doctors and nurses should be encouraged to report incidents. Social support should be provided for the personnel. In this review, our aim was to clarify if there is an increase in the incidence of WPV against healthcare providers in the pandemic process. We also aimed to make recommendations about measures that must be taken to prevent healthcare providers from detrimental effects of WPV.

scholarly journals Ideologies of Black churches in New York City and the public health crisis of HIV among Black men who have sex with men

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (sup2) ◽  
pp. S227-S242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick A. Wilson ◽  
Natalie M. Wittlin ◽  
Miguel Muñoz-Laboy ◽  
Richard Parker
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Black Men ◽  
York City ◽  
Black Churches ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Sex With Men

Routine Screening of Women for Gonorrhea (Is "Offer" of Tests Enough?)

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-124
Author(s):  
Selig H. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New York ◽  
New York State ◽  
Termination Of Pregnancy ◽  
Routine Screening ◽  
Health Law ◽  
Public Health Law ◽  
York State ◽  
The Public ◽  
State Resident

In a letter published in the August 1973 issue, Dr. Hania W. Ris suggests routine screening of women for gonorrhea. A recently enacted amendment to the Public Health Law of New York State requires all physicians, clinics or facilities providing gynecological, obstetrical, contraceptive, sterilization or termination-of-pregnancy services or treatment to offer to administer to every New York State resident coming for such services or treatment, appropriate tests for the detection of syphilis and gonorrhea.

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