Articles by Waste Medic

Safely Dispose of Used Medical Sharps & Household Needles

Safely Dispose of Used Medical Sharps & Household Needles

When it comes to disposing used household needles or medical sharps, safety is the point. Every day, millions of people around the United States use needles, lancets and syringes – otherwise known as medical sharps – to manage health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, cancer or auto-immune diseases from the comfort of their own homes or while on the go. Some commonly used medical sharps include: Medical Sharps: fine, slender, hollow pieces of metal, typically attached […]

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Sharps Disposal: Using a Bin in a Central Accumulation Area

Sharps Disposal: Using a Bin in a Central Accumulation Area

If your facility generates waste in the form of needles or other sharps, you likely have a need for sharps disposal in a central accumulation area (CAA). Can they stay in their red biohazard bins with a label? Read on to see how regulatory experts at Enviro.BLR.com answered this question around proper sharps disposal. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard We do not know of any regulations that would prohibit moving red biohazard bins containing sharps to […]

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Infectious Waste from Hospitals Flowed Illegally to Landfill

Infectious Waste from Hospitals Flowed Illegally to Landfill

State inspectors found bloody bandages, leaking infectious waste and other infectious garbage at unapproved South Carolina landfills and transfer stations last year, sparking concerns about contamination and prompting a series of fines against four hospitals. Fines totaling $143,400 were issued against three Charleston-area hospitals and one in Conway for the medical waste violations, according to records released this week. Two of the hospitals, Roper and Bon Secours St. Francis in Charleston, generated $104,000 of the […]

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Medical Waste Disposal: Understanding our Diverse Solutions

Medical Waste Disposal: Understanding our Diverse Solutions

Founded in 2014, Waste Medic has quickly grown as a trusted provider of the transportation, treatment, and disposal of medical waste in accordance with modern state and federal regulations. Our team has a deep understanding of and respect for the healthcare industry, as well as the dedicated professionals who operate its critical functions. We are acutely aware that these professions need reliable, responsive, and cost-effective service providers who can adapt and grow with the constant […]

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Improper Disposal of Hard Drives Lead to HIPAA Violations

If you are a health care-related business or work with health care related records and information, how careful are you at following HIPAA regulations? Are you making any mistakes, even if those mistakes are inadvertent? A health care data breach that took place last year in Maine serves as an important reminder about the importance of choosing the right methods and ITAD providers for data destruction, proper disposal of hard drives and e-recycling. The HIPAA […]

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Q&A | Let’s Discuss a HIPAA Violation in the Workplace

If you’ve been to any type of health care provider for a check-up since 1996, you will likely recall signing a document that either denies access or gives certain people (e.g., a family member or friend) permission to accept phone calls or receive other medical information about you. That’s a HIPAA release form. Here, we’ll explain what HIPAA is, how it applies to non-medical businesses, and how your company can avoid a HIPAA violation. What […]

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Education is Needed to Ensure Medical Waste is Managed Well

The pandemic has created capacity issues in hospitals, pushing more care into the home. Some of those people are cared for by professionals in the industry, and more people have taken on the role of at-home caregiver for their loved ones. But what about those who live alone and are left to care for themselves? Or those patients who live in under served communities and have limited access to health care resources? Health inequities have […]

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The Basics of Color-Coding Your Medical Waste Disposal

One of the most critical aspects of healthcare is the management of the waste generated at the facilities. A variety of businesses generate medical waste including hospitals and veterinary clinics, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, tattoo and body piercing parlors. No matter what type of business you are in, understanding how to properly dispose of medical waste will not only help you keep your employees and the public safe, but it will also keep […]

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Your Responsibilities Under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule

After experiencing a PHI breach, HIPAA-covered entities and business associates must comply with reporting requirements under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule. The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires HIPAA-covered entities and business associates to follow specific reporting requirements following the discovery of a protected health information (PHI) breach. If organizations fail to comply with HIPAA’s standards, they run the risk of endangering patient privacy, paying hefty noncompliance fees, and suffering reputational harm and lawsuits. Healthcare organizations […]

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Your Practice May Have Experienced a HIPAA Breach – Now What?

Whether you have recently experienced a breach or are just preparing for the worst, it’s important to know what you need to assess in the event that your practice is faced with a HIPAA incident. Any time your Protected Health Information (PHI) is exposed, whether maliciously or accidentally, your practice may be facing serious fines for a HIPAA violation. The first step is knowing what exactly is considered a breach of PHI. As defined by […]

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