Reducing waste in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: insights from a co-design workshop

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science in Healthcare
• Health Services Research
• Sustainable Healthcare Practices

Background:

• Healthcare facilities, particularly cardiac catheterization laboratories (cath labs), are significant contributors to environmental degradation due to high resource utilization.
• Identifying and addressing clinical waste is crucial for improving the environmental sustainability of healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify modifiable drivers of clinical waste within cath labs.
• To co-develop practical, locally relevant strategies for enhancing environmental sustainability in cath lab settings.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative co-design workshop was conducted with diverse stakeholders (clinical staff, administrators, support services, community members) at a tertiary hospital.
• The World Café model facilitated structured discussions, with data collected via field notes and participant materials, analyzed thematically.
• Inductive thematic analysis identified six key themes influencing waste generation and sustainability.

Main Results:

• Six themes emerged: excessive packaging/procurement, stock underutilization/disposability, behavioral norms, infrastructure constraints, community engagement, and leadership/accountability.
• Participants showed motivation to reduce waste but faced systemic and organizational barriers.
• Factors beyond individual clinician behavior significantly influence waste and sustainability outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Environmental sustainability in cath labs is influenced by modifiable factors including procurement, stock management, and leadership.
• Integrating sustainability into organizational processes and engaging patients/communities are vital for lasting healthcare waste reduction.