Successful applicants to the ASGE Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program submit a summary of a recently conducted quality improvement (QI) project as part of the application process. The quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) project in the spotlight this month is from a unit participating in the ASGE Green Endoscopy Site Pilot Program and looked at ways to reduce the environmental impact of endoscopy procedures.
Define/Statement of Purpose
To significantly reduce the environmental impact of endoscopy procedures by minimizing waste generation and implement practices that lower carbon footprint in endoscopy.
Measure/Performance Goal
Our initial goal with the Sustainability Pilot Program was to decrease laundry overuse by 25 percent. After the team worked with environmental services, many variables were apparent, making this specific metric challenging to identify. The team shifted their sustainability objective to focus on smaller projects to decrease waste, unit costs and resources in the endoscopy unit. The four main areas of improvement addressed in this project include: laundry waste, paper waste, recycling program development and reusable gowns.
Analyze/Evidence of Data Collection
Review of historic unit and organizational sustainability efforts. Collaborative work with the environmental services to help achieve results.
| Area of Improvement | Pre | Post | Results |
|---|
| Recycling Program Development | Staff met with the environmental services department (EVS) to review where items from recycling bins are sent.
Discovered recycling was being thrown away in the trash.
Staff worked with EVS team to reestablish recycling with new bins to ensure items are recycled. | Kickoff email sent to staff regarding program and usage of bins. | Bins with standard recycling in endoscopy, with goal to roll out hospital wide. |
| Paper Waste | 600-700 charts made monthly, ordering in bulk.
When forms are updated, the unit coordinator is notified when changes have been completed and will need to replace all outdated forms.
Endoscopy consents printed on multiple pages. | Document control distribution list developed to notify endo staff of changes in progress.
Moved to do. | Standard process created to mitigate.
No change noted within office supply budgets. |
| Laundry Waste | Endo staff placed a blanket on every stretcher, generating waste because patients were given a warm blanket. | No longer to make stretchers with a blanket and will provide a warm blanket to patients. | Laundry cost per patient:
January-June, $10.40
July-November, $10.32
Savings of 8 cents
per patient. |
| Reusable Gown Usage | Variable usage, with staff using both disposable and reusable gowns. | Increased knowledge from the sustainability team to the staff and provider, with increased staff and provider usage. | Over 80 percent of staff and providers use reusable gowns to date.
M/S Budget per patient:
January-June, $69.80
July-November, $58.99
Savings of $10.81 |
Improve
This project aimed to start and improve sustainability efforts within the endoscopy unit. This was achieved through a small group of endoscopy staff and leadership.
- Meetings with ASGE and other organizations in the pilot program were held to discuss efforts and learn from each other.
- Successful implementation of a recycling program within the endoscopy department.
- Staff developed processes for identifying document changes early to mitigate over-ordering forms for charts.
- Budgetary cost savings with reusable gowns and blanket initiatives.
- Collaborative unit efforts between endoscopy and environmental services department to foster awareness of sustainability efforts in the endoscopy unit.
Control/Corrective Action
Assessment of the unit for sustainability opportunities occurred in both clinical and scheduling areas. Interventions were trialed in the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) structure to achieve desired goals. Actions to achieve goals included adjustments to physical resource management, waste reduction on laundry use and paper waste reduction. Through interventions to support sustainability in endoscopy, there was a reduction in budgetary costs. Structured processes were developed to support the reduction of waste in paper and encourage the use of reusable items. Collaborative work with environmental services is ongoing; the goal is to grow practices throughout the organization.
Being part of the ASGE Green Endoscopy Site Pilot Program allowed our unit a platform to build upon with sustainability in our endoscopy unit.
We hope sharing this project summary will be useful to you and your practice. Learn more about gaining honoree status in the
ASGE Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program. EURP honoree units may use the ASGE Quality Star logo in promotion of their units, receive premium educational content via an exclusive e-newsletter
The Huddle, and enjoy a range of additional benefits. Questions should be directed to
eurp@asge.org