[Pharmwaste] Alameda County Safe Medication Disposal Assessment

[Joel Kreisberg]

Hey Folks:

You can read the full report at

http://www.teleosis.org/the-alameda-county-medication-disposal-initiative-assessment/

Here is the very brief highlights!

*The Alameda County Safe Medication Disposal Initiative Assessment **Key
Findings:  *

   - In 2009 just 473 pounds were reported from one site. By 2013, the most
   recent year accounted for, 13,919 pounds were collected and disposed, with
   an average of 449 pounds per site.
   - The largest collection sites are the Alameda County Sheriff’s Station
   (1100 pounds), Eden Medical Center (1036 pounds), Washington Hospital (960
   pounds) and Ted’s Pharmacy (936 pounds).
   - In 2013, the extrapolated costs of disposal are $27,838, with an
   average costs per pound of $2.00, down from $2.51 per pound in 2009.

Teleosis Institute offers the following recommendations:

   - Establishing one centralized agency to oversee a countywide program
   would minimize operational overlap and thus improve collection efficiency.
   - With roughly 51% of the county citizens within close proximity to a
   take-back site, new sites are necessary for residents that lack easy access
   to take-back sites.
   - Establishing new sites in larger medical institutions, such as
   hospitals, would likely provide the most efficient and effective results.
   - Educating pharmacists would likely improve collection rates in
   pharmacies and educating health executives, health professionals in primary
   care and end-of-life caregivers will likely improve program outcomes.
   - Centralizing management would simplify the waste collection system and
   drive cost of disposal down.

Attached is the Executive Summary.

Joel


Dr. Joel Kreisberg, DC, CCH, ACC |Integrative Homeopathic Medicine |
drkreisberg.com drkreisberg at joelkreisberg.com |510-558-7285 | skype:
Joel.Kreisberg
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