January 23, 2023

Raising the Bar: Five Characteristics of an Effective Medical Waste Partner

Medical waste is considered to be a hazardous material by certain regulatory agencies and comes with strict requirements on how healthcare organizations must handle, store and dispose of such waste. If you don’t consistently follow the rules, staff and the community can be put at risk as the result of noncompliance. 

To regularly and reliably meet the requirements, you need a partner that not only is familiar with the regulations, but also one that’s as committed to safety and compliance as you are.

How can you be sure you’re making the right choice? Here are five key attributes to keep in mind:

1. Reliability. Medical waste removal should happen with predictably each and every time. You should be confident your medical waste management provider will unfailingly meet the required deadlines and follow the latest rules regarding pickup and disposal. For instance, some states require medical waste to be picked up within a specific timeframe. With the largest truck fleet in the industry, Stericycle has the capacity to meet our clients’ needs with reliability near 100 percent. Our detailed disaster management plans helps ensure we stay on schedule during extreme weather events and other crises. Because we document every step of our process—accessible online—you can be confident we are compliant.

2. Flexibility. Healthcare providers need to be prepared for anything, and they should have a partner that’s prepared, too. For example, when your patient volume goes up due to COVID-19,  influenza, or other seasonal ailments, you want someone who can flex with the increased medical waste volume. With our large fleet and advanced logistics, Stericycle can quickly adjust to your changing needs and meet your requirements as they emerge.

3. Experience. Waste management regulations are detailed and complex, and the bodies that oversee them may update criteria as needs require. It’s important to work with a knowledgeable partner that has dedicated experts on staff who keep up with the latest developments—particularly those that apply to your specific state. Stericycle’s experts have regulatory knowledge and will proactively notify you if there are any relevant changes.

4. Comprehensive training. Regulatory bodies also have strict training requirements, and sometimes a healthcare provider may not have the experience or bandwidth to develop and implement adequate education programs. By partnering with Stericycle, you can leverage training, many of which are accessible and managed online. This will help you manage staff training and stay compliant and safe.

5. Exemplary customer service. Waste management can be confusing. Look for a provider who is ready to answer any questions you may have. Stericycle has live, customer service available 12 hours per day. Customers can also access their account online at any time through our customer portal and may reach out via email for specific compliance questions.

Don’t leave compliance—or the protection of your business—up to chance. For more information about how Stericycle can help meet all your medical waste management needs.

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