Safe, Secure and Sustainable: Study Touts Use of Reusable PPE

A recent article in Healthcare Management Forum noted the heightened importance of reusable personal protective equipment in the healthcare setting in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that reusable PPE has many benefits besides its effectiveness in protecting healthcare professionals and patients from infection by microorganisms. These advantages of reusable PPE include lower costs, domestic jobs and improved environmental performance.

The article, titled “Reusable personal protective equipment in Canadian healthcare: Safe, secure and sustainable,” was published in Volume 36 of Healthcare Management Forum. The research includes several data sources including a literature review, roundtables, interviews, surveys and Internet-based research to investigate the impact of disposable PPE and the role of reusable PPE during the pandemic in Canada.

The article notes that, “This research supports the claim that adopting and supporting reusable PPE systems throughout the health sector can, if used appropriately on an ongoing basis, provide continuous access to reusable PPE while also contributing many co-benefits, including lower costs, domestic jobs and environmental performance such as reduced waste and greenhouse gas emissions.”

Healthcare Management Forum is the official peer-reviewed journal of the Canadian College of Health Leaders. The journal publishes articles on leading practices related to health leadership and management, including recent research, new technology and professional practices from health leaders’ perspectives. For more information, click here. Click here to view the PDF of the study.