Virginia Healthcare Waste Management Cooperative Recognizes Member Facilities for Waste Reduction Achievements!

David Jenkins (on right) presents certificates to Walt Sample of Shore Memorial Hospital and Marvin Craighead and Betty Willis of John Randolph Medical Center.

The Virginia Health Care Waste Management Cooperative has designed a “recognition certificate” for its member hospitals to congratulate them for their waste reduction achievements. As a VH2E Champion, the “Coop” has been integral to helping Virginia facilities achieve significant reductions in Regulated Medical Wastes (RMW). Thanks to their in-service training and tracking reports, member facilities reduced RMW by over 10% in 2005, a documented reduction of 791,306 pounds. This resulted in cost savings of $213,570 for the member facilities.

On significant contributor to these figures is the Coop’s Reusable Sharps Container Program. In 2005, the successful program grew to 32 participating facilities with many more projected to come on board in 2006. To date, the program has reduced the amount of disposed plastics from hospital waste streams by 153,277 pounds, resulting in a cost savings of $209,400 for the participating member/owner facilities.

David Jenkins, the Coop’s Mark eting Director, presented the first of the recognition certificates at the VH2E Informational Roundtable on February 22 nd. David presented framed certificates and thanks to the Coop facilities in attendance:

• Rappahannock General Hospital
• Centra Health
• Shore Memorial Hospital
• Carilion Medical Center
• John Randolph Medical Center
• Augusta Medical Center