Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Reducing Waste: Instrument Recycling in the Emergency Department.

Esther H Chen1,2, Kristie Taguma3, Newton Addo1

  • 1University of California, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, California.

The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
|June 8, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Human-AI co-design for clinical prediction models.

NPJ digital medicine·2026
Same author

Structural Competency: A Lifeline in a Time of Crisis.

AEM education and training·2026
Same author

Providing financial incentives to residents does not improve emergency department length of stay.

The American journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same author

Evaluation of an Online Module for Fascia Iliaca Block Education for Pediatric Femur Fractures in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Pediatric emergency care·2026
Same author

Emergency Medicine Residents' Performance with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Its Impact on Key Stroke-care Metrics.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2025
Same author

Top 10 Medical Education Articles of 2024.

AEM education and training·2025
Same journal

Climate Change and Emergency Medicine: A Scoping Review Across Emergency Medicine Subspecialties.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same journal

Clinician-documented Firearm Access and Safety Interventions for Veterans Receiving Suicide Risk Evaluation in VA Emergency Care Settings.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same journal

Clinical Insights and Case Analysis of Disorders Attributed to Cicadas in the Emergency Department.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same journal

Worth the Wait? Comparison of Emergency Department Patients' Waiting Room Tolerance for Real Patient Care vs Training/Simulation Scenarios.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same journal

Pilot Simulation Task Trainer for Prehospital Management of Neck Hemorrhage.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
Same journal

Changes in THC Positivity Rates in Adolescents Corresponding to Legalization of Recreational Marijuana in Illinois.

The western journal of emergency medicine·2026
See all related articles

Financial incentives modestly increased instrument recycling rates in emergency medicine residency programs, though sustainability targets were not met. This highlights challenges in motivating clinicians toward sustainable practices in healthcare.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Healthcare Sustainability
  • Medical Education

Background:

  • Emergency medicine (EM) residency programs are mandated to teach quality improvement (QI).
  • There's a growing recognition of climate sustainability's importance in healthcare.
  • Few EM programs integrate a sustainability lens into QI initiatives, limiting evidence on effective approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness of a financial incentive in improving instrument recycling rates within EM residency programs.
  • To reduce waste generated from common bedside procedures in the emergency department.
  • To evaluate the impact of a financial intervention on recycling participation.

Main Methods:

  • A sustainability QI initiative was implemented to recycle used instruments from three common bedside procedure kits.

Related Experiment Videos

  • A quasi-Poisson regression analysis compared recycling rates during baseline and incentive periods.
  • Financial incentives were provided to residents over a two-year period.

    • Main Results:

    • The initial recycling rate was 9% after the first year.
    • Financial incentives significantly increased the mean recycling rate to 24% (SD 13), with a rate ratio of 3.03 (95% CI 1.57-5.85, P < .001).
    • Residents did not achieve the 50% recycling target for incentive payment, but overall rates improved.

    Conclusions:

    • Financial incentives showed modest success in encouraging resident participation in instrument recycling.
    • Motivating clinicians in busy environments towards sustainable practices remains a challenge.
    • Systems-level changes may be more effective than individual practice changes for sustainable healthcare initiatives.