PharmEcology
Lakichia Carrier, Funda Simsek, and Sarah Rombauer
Executive Summary
• Healthcare systems produce highly toxic chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
• It is required by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for healthcare systems to meet the regulations of the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA).
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Executive Summary
• Failure to adhere to the regulations can result in costly fines.
• Releasing and not properly disposing of hazardous materials is detrimental to the environment, the water supply, and the community. 3
Project Description
• Setup a pharmaceutical waste plan for a large health system
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High Level Product
Characteristics
• Implement pharmaceutical waste plan to segregate hazardous medications and dispose them off properly.
– Develop Task Force
– Inventory Analysis of current medications
– Segregation of Pharmaceutical Waste
– Education and Training of Staff
– Auditing of Plan
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Project Purpose or
Justification
• Meet RCRA Regulations (Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act) enforced by the EPA and also can be enforced at a state level.
• Meet TJC (The Joint Commission) standards in order to maintain TJC accreditation. • Sustainability of water supply.
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Project Objectives
• Pharmaceutical Waste Task Force will create a plan with guidance of consulting group,
PharmEcology to implement segregation of pharmaceutical waste within 6 months.
• Cost goal of the project is not to exceed
$100,000.
• Educate and train healthcare staff (nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, patient care assistants, environmental services employees)
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Project Objectives
• Implement plan
• Monitor and Audit plan results
• Close – Handoff to operations employees, safety department, and environmental services department.
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Project Benefits
• Reduces risk of fines, penalties, and loss of accreditation.
• Prevents hazardous medications from entering the local water supplies.
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Project Success Criteria
• Pharmaceuticals are properly being disposed of at all locations in the health system and verified by auditing.
• Staff can successfully communicate and demonstrate proper way to dispose of pharmaceutical waste to regulators and inspectors. 10
