Reducing Glove Overuse in Outpatient Specialty Clinics: Cost Reduction and Environmental Benefit

Gloves are the highest-volume single-use disposable product used in health care. Minimizing unnecessary glove use is relevant in the context of mitigating health care waste and greenhouse gas emissions. We sought to reduce non-sterile glove overuse in the Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic Surgery/Burn Clinics affiliated with a tertiary care safety-net teaching hospital by using evidence-based education regarding hand hygiene and appropriate glove use. Baseline use averaged 14,820 gloves/month and 10.8 gloves/patient visit. After intervention, use decreased to 10,100 gloves/month and 7.9 gloves/visit, respectively, representing a 27% reduction in gloves/visit. On an annualized basis, this corresponds to a savings of 56,628 gloves, 180 kilograms of waste, and $3,003.17 per year. Calculated projected reduction in CO₂e emissions is 1472-1767 kg annually, equivalent in impact to 3766-4519 miles driven in a standard gas-powered car. Widespread adoption would provide a significant positive impact given the scale of glove use in US health care settings.