A data-driven approach to improving hospital waste management

ABSTRACT

This study aims to clarify the factors influencing the financial burden of medical waste management (MWM) on public hospitals, and develop a best-reduced model for predicting MWM cost for hospitals. The medical waste generation rate was computed considering the hospital type and its location. MWM cost in selected hospitals was calculated using the variable pricing method. The mean medical waste generation rate was 0.70 kg per bed per day and 11 kg per surgical procedure. On average, with a daily 420 kg medical waste generated, urban hospitals were the major sources of medical waste. MWM cost in urban hospitals was much greater than that in rural hospitals. The results present an evaluation of how well MWM cost can be predicted by the number of surgical procedures, outpatients and distance of the hospital from the city centre. This study highlights the fact that cost-saving strategies at hospital organizational level are essential for reducing the enhanced MWM cost in hospitals.

KEYWORDS:

• Economics of waste
• cost analysis
• public hospitals
• medical waste management
• regression analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mehtap Çakmak Barsbay

Mehtap Çakmak Barsbay is an Assistant Professor at Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University, Department of Health Management. She received her PhD in public administration from Hacettepe University. Her main research interest includes capacity building and performance in public health sector.