COVID-19 Solutions Are Climate Solutions: Lessons From Reusable Gowns

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the inadequacy of the U.S. healthcare system to deliver timely and resilient care. According to the American Hospital Association, the pandemic has created a $202 billion loss across the healthcare industry, forcing health care systems to lay off workers and making hospitals scramble to minimize supply chain costs. However, as the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) grows, hospitals have sacrificed sustainable solutions for disposable options that, although convenient, will exacerbate supply strains, financial burden, and waste. We advocate for reusable gowns as a means to lower health care costs, address climate change, and improve resilience while preserving the safety of health care workers. Reusable gowns' polyester material provides comparable capacity to reduce microbial cross-transmission and liquid penetration. In addition, previous hospitals have reported a 50% cost reduction in gown expenditures after adopting reusable gowns; given the current 2000% price increase in isolation gowns during COVID-19, reusable gown use will build both healthcare resilience and security from price fluctuations. Finally, with the United States' medical waste stream worsening, reusable isolation gowns show promising reductions in energy and water use, solid waste, and carbon footprint. The gowns are shown to withstand laundering 75–100 times in contrast to the single-use disposable gown. The circumstances of the pandemic forewarn the need to shift our single-use PPE practices to standardized reusable applications. Ultimately, sustainable forms of protective equipment can help us prepare for future crises that challenge the resilience of the healthcare system.

Can the Profitability of Medical Enterprises Be Improved After Joining China's Centralized Drug Procurement? A Difference-in-Difference Design

“…Centralized drug purchase is the key link to reduce drug prices, rectify drug circulation orders, and standardize drug use. The American Medical Supply Chain Association reported that centralized procurement can save 10–35% of procurement expenditure for medical institutions every year ( 1 ). Unlike the centralized drug procurement in the United States, which is completely configured by the market, centralized drug procurement of China is a supporting policy in the national medical system reform.…”

The Triple Bottom Line and Stabilization Wedges: A Framework for Perioperative Sustainability

“…The sudden increase in demand for isolation gowns at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a spike in the price of disposable gowns from $0.25 to $5 per gown, a prohibitive 2000% increase. 58 This expense was compounded by the estimated $202 billion loss across the health care industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 58 Given the continuous need for PPE when caring for COVID-positive patients, as well as the environmental benefits of reusable gowns compared to disposable gowns, the value proposition of reusable gowns has become more compelling than ever before.…”

“…58 This expense was compounded by the estimated $202 billion loss across the health care industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 58 Given the continuous need for PPE when caring for COVID-positive patients, as well as the environmental benefits of reusable gowns compared to disposable gowns, the value proposition of reusable gowns has become more compelling than ever before. 58 Carilion Clinic reported that reusable gowns cost only $0.39 per use (compared to $0.79 per use for disposable gowns), a cost savings of nearly 50%.…”

“…58 Given the continuous need for PPE when caring for COVID-positive patients, as well as the environmental benefits of reusable gowns compared to disposable gowns, the value proposition of reusable gowns has become more compelling than ever before. 58 Carilion Clinic reported that reusable gowns cost only $0.39 per use (compared to $0.79 per use for disposable gowns), a cost savings of nearly 50%. 58 Furthermore, they did not face any supply shortages in gowns during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand suddenly increased.…”

“…58 Carilion Clinic reported that reusable gowns cost only $0.39 per use (compared to $0.79 per use for disposable gowns), a cost savings of nearly 50%. 58 Furthermore, they did not face any supply shortages in gowns during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand suddenly increased. 58 Due to the surge in price and lack of supply, several hospitals reported utilizing ultraviolet sterilization to reuse PPE or solicited unconventional vendors such as home supply stores or autobody supply shops.…”