HealthFirst’s Sharps Management system features online tracking and compliance management, while eliminating costly contracts and pickups.
The proper management of regulated medical waste that is generated in dental offices is very important not only to avoid regulatory fines, but also to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Sharps must be properly handled, contained, stored, shipped, and treated in accordance with all local, state, and federal regulations.
We asked a team of Dental Product Shopper evaluators to weigh in on the services offered by HealthFirst’s Sharps Management Program, the only sharps recovery system developed with dentistry in mind. It eliminates contracts and pickups, and features an online tracking and compliance management system.
Dr. R.J. Sondkar from San Leandro, CA, described Sharps Management as much better than similar services, and noted, “It has all the user-friendly features that I would have asked for,” while Dr. Jeffrey Greene from Fountain Hills, AZ, added, “I have already signed up for the service.”
Ease of Use: Preparing the Return Box
Developed for ultimate ease of use, Sharps Management requires only that users fill and seal the OSHA-compliant container (1- and 5-qt, and 1-, 2-, 3-, 8-, and 18-g sizes) and use the included prepaid return box to ship it out for disposal. “Return mail was a breeze. No pickup to schedule, no headaches for the office,” said Dr. Jeff Kosoris, who called Sharps Management much better than similar services.
Dr. Sondkar, who said he would definitely purchase the service and recommend it to colleagues, described it as “well-designed, especially the drop chute, which allows sharps to be dropped in without any engagement.” Dr. Steve Carstensen, who evaluated the 5-qt container, noted that it “doesn’t take up a lot of space.”
When asked what he’d like to see improved, Dr. Jacob Scheiner said the instructions about UPS pickup not being included in the price were not clear. He added, “The plastic bags for return shipping need to be made larger, so it would not be so difficult to gather the opening together to tie it with the cable tie.”
OnTraQ
OnTraQ , a suite of easy-to-use compliance management tools, is supplied to HealthFirst customers at no additional charge, and provides online product tracking, signed manifest retrieval, and archiving. OnTraQ digitally stores all disposal records in a cloud, enabling staff to view digital manifests, print disposal reports, and monitor biological testing results.
Allan Mohr, DDS, FICOI, described the service as easy to track and ship, while Dr. Scheiner said it was convenient to use.
Practice Benefits
The Sharps Management program operates with no contracts, no required monthly minimum orders, no hidden fees, and no surprises. One low price includes the cost of the container, postage, and waste disposal service, and the ability to use a single return box for multiple containers further maximizes savings. The system also reduces excess inventory and eliminates the need for costly pickup services.
“This system eliminates the pickup hassle and, if it is cost-effective for a practice, this is the way to go,” shared Dr. Kosoris. Dr. Greene, who evaluated service with the 2-g container, remarked, “The container size is more accurate for my office than using a large container and having a service come into the office to pack and pick up the sharps container.” Dr. Mohr said, “When disposing of sharps containers, you need to get the document of how, where, and when it was properly disposed.” He went on to note, “This company has covered all bases and makes it simple.”
Overall Satisfaction
When asked what he liked most about the service, Dr. Mohr responded, “I feel they have all the issues with sharps disposal covered.” Nearly all of the evaluators said they would recommend this service to colleagues and they would use the service in the future.
With 100% of evaluators rating their overall satisfaction as excellent or very good, HealthFirst’s Sharps Management System has earned a “Recommended Product” award from Dental Product Shopper.
