San Francisco, CA Medical Waste Disposal

San Francisco, CA

Did you know that the Star Fleet Headquarters in Star Trek is located just north of San Francisco? The computer mouse was invented in Silicon Valley and the picture of a rolling hill against a blue sky which is the default wallpaper in Windows XP was shot in the Napa Valley.

MedPro provides Medical Waste Disposal San Francisco, CA.

Tony Bennett sang the song “I left my heart in San Francisco” and if you were to do that they would take good care of it. The University of California San Francisco is entirely dedicated to graduate studies in health and medicine. The medical school consistently ranks in the top 5 nationally and the UCSF Medical Center ranks in the top 15 hospitals year-after-year. (With an excellent Department of Cardiology.)

Also ranked as one of the most scenically beautiful and picturesque cities in the world, San Francisco is home to thousands of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who work together with hospitals, clinics and the University to deliver world-class healthcare.

Supporting the front-line team of healthcare workers are industries like pharmacies, drug companies, emergency responders, and medical waste disposal San Francisco, CA companies. In California the Department of Public Health administers and enforces regulations intended to protect the public health from potentially hazardous bio-waste through the Medical Waste Management Act.

Medical Waste Disposal San Francisco, CA

MedPro Disposal is proud to serve the San Francisco healthcare community with diligence and a responsive business model that has earned us a reputation as an industry leader and a trusted consultative partner.

Listening to our customers prompted us to create a series of benefits and services we call the MedPro Advantage:

Doctors and administrators told us they didn’t want confusing invoices, so we simplified them. All customers receive a flat-fee invoice with no add-ons like “fuel surcharges” or other surprises.

Many physicians say mounting paperwork is keeping them from spending enough time with patients. In The Practice Profitability Index, the percentage of physicians who spend more than one day per week on paperwork increased from 58% in 2013 to 70% in 2014. We listened and we keep paperwork to a minimum.

We listened and heard that medical facilities appreciate pick-ups of medical waste on a schedule that fits their schedule and their needs, so we complied. We build a plan that is “right-sized” for every customer, large medical center or doctor’s office.

Physicians told us they needed to cut costs, so we did that. As a national medical waste disposal San Francisco, CA company with years of experience our resources allow us to streamline pick-ups, transportation, and disposal. We save money and we pass those savings on to our customers. It’s the intelligent thing to do when you want to build long-term relationships. We do.

We try to congregate pick-ups geographically and on the same days whenever possible, and we offer bonuses to customers who refer us a new customer in the same building or nearby. Streamlining the process of medical waste disposal makes sense.

We listened to our customers when they told us about regulations swamping them. We created a totally unique solution: The MedPro Online Safety Compliance Portal which includes an ICD 9 to ICD 10 code converter as well as training modules for OSHA, HIPPA, and HazCom. The secure, cloud-based platform also permits the creation of fire prevention, exposure control, and emergency management safety plans. Certifications can be obtained online and regulations are posted for quick reference. This is an amazing option available to all MedPro customers.

Doctors have told us that compliance is a major issue with them, and it is with us as well. High rates of compliance means low rates of accidents and other problems so we stress 100 compliance at all times in every location we service. Insurance is also an important concern, and MedPro maintains a substantial – above what’s required – level of coverage. This is a peace-of-mind benefit for us as well as our customers.

In addition to our vast online resources, MedPro is pleased to offer our customers printed materials which are excellent tools to place in various locations reminding employees about safety and efficiency. Everyone knows that tragic consequences can follow a small needle puncture, so the more safety reminders the better.

MedPro also offers an Unwanted Pharmaceutical Disposal Program to benefit our customers and the community as a public safety benefit. Patients should be discouraged from dumping old drugs down the drain or putting them in the garage at home. MedPro can safely remove and destroy these items.

Getting a quote from MedPro medical waste disposal San Francisco, CA is as easy as calling 888-641-6131.

Serving the City of San Francisco and surrounding area is an honor and a responsibility MedPro takes with great earnestness. As part of one of the finest healthcare systems in the world, we pledge to remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence.

Everything You Need to Know About Medical Waste Disposal in San Francisco, California

Waste management, which pertains to the collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of various kinds of waste, has a significant impact on several different sectors.

It touches on the general cleanliness and sanitation of public areas. It also has great effects on the environment. Most relevantly, proper waste management safeguards the health and wellbeing of the public by way of medical waste management.

San Francisco, which is home to notable medical and research institutions like the University of California San Francisco and its hospital UCSF Health, applies stringent regulations on medical waste disposal in the name of health and safety.

Medical Waste Disposal in San Francisco, California

California’s Medical Waste Management Act defines medical waste as any unregulated bio-hazardous, pathology, pharmaceutical, or trace chemotherapy waste. It also includes waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, immunization, or care of humans or animals.

The treatment of medical waste in San Francisco depends on its source. Home-generated medical waste is not currently regulated by the State of California, with the exception of sharps. Medical waste generated by any institution or business such as healthcare facilities, research universities, and laboratories are subject to State-specific regulations.

The Medical Waste Management Program (MWPM) of California, under the Environmental Management Branch, oversees the generation, handling, storage, treatment, and disposal of medical waste. In San Francisco, the Local Enforcement Agency is authorized by the MWPM to inspect, cite violations, recommend enforcement action, and assess fees for required permits and registrations.

Some regulations on medical waste disposal to take note of are:

• Medical waste should be contained separately from other waste.
• Biohazardous waste should be placed in a biohazard bag and labeled appropriately.
• Medical waste should be treated properly before being disposed of.
• Biohazard disposal near San Francisco, California should be done in accredited facilities.

Due to the comprehensive nature of these regulations, medical waste generators are inclined to utilizing medical waste disposal companies. There are various options for medical waste disposal near San Francisco, California.

Sharps

Medical sharps refers to devices with sharp points or edges that are able to puncture the skin. This includes hypodermic needles, pen needles, intravenous needles, lancets.

The disposal of sharps should adhere to the following regulations set by the MWPM and recommendations by the United States Food and Drug Administration:

• Used sharps should be placed inside a rigid puncture-resistant container. The container should meet the standards of the FDA.
• The sharps container should be taped close and ready for disposal. Label the container with “sharps waste” or the international biohazard symbol.
• Sharps container disposal is handled by the Local Enforcement Agency in San Francisco. There are approved locations for the consolidation of home-generated sharps waste.

HIPAA

HIPAA, short for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a series of regulations enforced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS). They aim to safeguard protected health information (PHI).

PHI refers to any health-related information that may be used to identify an individual. This includes insurance information, demographic data, medical histories, test results, and the like.

HIPAA compliance ensures the protection of sensitive patient data. It entails the meeting of HIPAA regulations and standards. These include, but are not limited to:

1. HIPAA Privacy Rule: Establishes national standards for safeguarding PHI. Stipulations provide for patient’s right to access PHI, healthcare provider’s right to deny access to PHI, and more.
2. HIPAA Security Rule: Establishes national standards for safeguarding electronic PHI (ePHI). This provides for the secure maintenance, transmissions, and handling of ePHI, including physical, administrative, and technical safeguards.

OSHA

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, regulates health and safety in the workplace. They are an agency under the United States Department of Labor concerned with setting and enforcing safety standards as well as providing training and education.

OSHA regulations that ensure safety in the workplace include:

• Regulations ensuring emergency preparedness and fire safety.
• Regulations minimizing airborne contaminants in the workplace.
• Regulation of workplace chemicals.
• Proper use of safety signs, labels, color coding, and the like to warn employees of potential hazards in the workplace.
• Provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees whose jobs require such.

OSHA regulations intersect with HIPAA compliance in terms of their recordkeeping requirement. This requirement calls for the recording and reporting of certain work-related illnesses.  A work-related illness or injury should be reported if it results in any one of the following:

• Medical treatment beyond first aid
• Loss of consciousness
• Time away from work
• Restricted work or transfer to another job
• A significant injury or illness diagnosed by a licensed healthcare professional
• Death