An exploratory study on healthcare sustainability in Turkey: Satisfaction with work environment and perceived barriers towards reducing the environmental impact of pathology operations

Aim: This study aims to determine the self-reported satisfaction of pathologists in Turkey with the physical amenities of theirworkplace environment, gage their awareness on its potential impacts to human health, and quantify perceived environmentalimpact of healthcare operations. Moreover, current knowledge and potential interest towards adoption of techniques and materialsthat reduce environmental impacts of pathology operations including applicable green laboratory techniques, material alternativeswith less toxicity, material recycling programs, and reusable equipment were explored through the questionnaire.Material and Methods: For this descriptive study of haphazard sampling, pathologists were invited to complete a 10-questiononline survey (administered through Google Survey) via Federation of Pathology Societies of Turkey by email and through posts onprofessional groups on social media. 149 complete responses were received and analyzed as part of the study.Results: With respect to physical conditions, 58%, 44%, and 42% of responders indicated satisfaction with indoor temperature,physical conditions, and amount of daylight of their primary workspace, respectively. 83% indicated they would like to see morerecycling of materials and chemicals used in pathology operations, where lack of knowledge and perceived cost were listed as thetwo main barriers preventing recycling of laboratory chemicals.Conclusion: Results shed light on next steps to improve workplace conditions for pathologists in Turkey and reduce environmentalimpacts in pathology operations.

PDF

___

1. Clements-Croome D. Creative and productive workplaces: a review. Intelligent Buildings International 2015;7:164-83.
2. Fisk WJ. Health And Productivity Gains From Better Indoor Environments And Their Relationship With Building Energy Efficiency. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 2000;25:537-66.
3. Leder S, Newsham GR, Veitch JA, et al. Effects of office environment on employee satisfaction: a new analysis. Building Research & Information 2016;44(1): 34-50.
4. Tanja-Dijkstra K, Pieterse ME. The psychological effects of the physical healthcare environment on healthcare personnel. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011;1.
5. Applebaum D, Fowler S, Fiedler N, et al. The impact of environmental factors on nursing stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. J Nurs Adm 2010;40:323-8.
6. Thiel CL, Schehlein E, Ravilla T, et al. Cataract surgery and environmental sustainability: Waste and lifecycle assessment of phacoemulsification at a private healthcare facility. J Cataract Refract Surg 2017;43: 1391-8.
7. Campion N, Thiel CL, DeBlois J, et al. Life cycle assessment perspectives on delivering an infant in the US. Sci Total Envir 2012;425:191-8.
8. Thiel CL, Eckelman M, Guido R, et al. Environmental Impacts of Surgical Procedures: Life Cycle Assessment of Hysterectomy in the United States. Environ Sci Technol 2015;49:1779-86.
9. Campion N, Thiel CL, Woods NC, et al. Sustainable healthcare and environmental life-cycle impacts of disposable supplies: a focus on disposable custom packs. Journal of Cleaner Production 2015;94:46-55.
10. Sherman JD, MacNeill A, Thiel C. Reducing Pollution From the Health Care Industry. JAMA 2019;322:1043-44.
11. Thiel CL, Needy KLS, Ries R, et al. Building design and performance: A comparative longitudinal assessment of a Children’s hospital. Building and Environment 2014;78:130-6.
12. My Green Lab. https://www.mygreenlab.org/ Access date: 13.11.2019.
13. What to Consider When Selecting Substitutes for Xylene. https://www.cbgbiotech.com/blog/whatto-consider-when-selecting-substitutes-for-xylene Access date: 13.11.2019.
14. Xylenes (o-, m-, p-isomers) Ethylbenzene. https://www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/mdt/ mdt1002/1002.html Access date: 13.11.2019.
15. Negi A, Puri A, Gupta R, et al. Biosafe alternative to xylene: A comparative study. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol 2013;17:363-6.
16. Swamy SRG, Nandan SRK, Kulkarni PG, et al. BioFriendly Alternatives for Xylene - Carrot oil, Olive oil, Pine oil, Rose oil. J Clin Diagn Res 2015;9.
17. Aminolipine for formaldehyde-free fixing of biological materials.https://go-bio.de/en/aminolipineformaldehyde-free-fixing-biological-materials Access date: 13.11.2019.
18. Solvent Recovery Systems for Your Laboratory Needs. https://www.cbgbiotech.com/laboratory Access date: 13.11.2019.
19. Solvent Recycling. https://brinstrument.com/ fractional-distillation/general-solvent-recycling.php Access date: 13.11.2019.
20. Xylene Distillation. https://green.uw.edu/promote/ snapshots/xylene-distillation Access date: 13.11.2019.