blades, which it doesn't. The reusable sharps containers they're col-
lected in also serve to keep plastic out of the waste stream.
"It has really been exciting for staff to be a part of this transition,"
says Ms. Crosby. "It's such a positive encouragement for staff engage-
ment in how our ASC operates."
"This is a journey that we're very proud of," adds Mr. Slade, "from
the grassroots level up to our leadership."
OSM
— David Bernard
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 8 5
You don't have to be a big facility to reduce your environmental foot-
print. At Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, Mo., they've
taken great pride in the impact that their sustainability initiatives have
demonstrated over the past few years. These efforts include partner-
ing with medical manufacturer Stryker in order to return single-use
devices for reprocessing and reuse, and to divert recyclable medica-
tion packaging from waste stream disposal into the blue bins through
observation and education. "In 1 year alone, we have recycled more
than 2,000 pounds of recyclable material," says Beth Rackers, RN,
CNOR, clinical educator for surgical services at the center. "This not
only saves the hospital a lot of money, but it also keeps trash out of
our landfills and helps protect our environment. While we are a small
community facility, we strive to make a difference in every area of our
expertise."
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
A Small Center's Big Impact
