Health Care Issue and Operation Management

Health care is the prevention, treatment and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through services offered by the medical and allied health professions (Dictionary.com 2005). Health care covers disease management, emergency preparedness, emergency department overcrowding, pain management, and patient safety (Jayco 2005). These health care activities encompass immunizations, diagnostic tests, medical treatments, and laboratory examinations in protecting and restoring health and saving lives. But the by-products and wastes generated by these activities have not be adequately addressed.

Studies and records show that from the total wastes generated by these health care activities, almost 80% are general wastes, comparable to domestic wastes and the remaining 20% are considered hazardous materials, which can be infectious, toxic or radioactive (WHO 2005). Infectious wastes are made up of cultures and stocks of infectious agents, wastes from infected patients, wastes contaminated with blood and...
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