Integrating industry 4.0 into hospital waste management (HWM4.0): a framework and application of the novel interval CoCoSo method

Effective management of hospital waste (HWM) is vital to improving healthcare quality; especially when it is aligned with 4.0 technologies. This empirical study intends to create a framework for the incorporation of HWM and Industry 4.0 technologies; referred to as HWM 4.0 in this study. The originality of this paper can be defined into two parts. First, to conceptualize and define the HWM 4.0 framework. Second, the novel application of a Combinatorial-Interval Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method, specifically developed in this study to address interval-valued uncertainty in expert judgments, representing a methodological contribution introduced for the first time within the HWM 4.0 context. To help accomplish the aims of this empirical study, the study first establishes and classifies HWM activities. After which, it evaluates the role of Industry 4.0 technologies for these categorized activities. HWM activities are classified into the seven domains of control activities within hospitals; human resources, infrastructure and equipment, financial control activities, operations and processes, energy use and waste reduction, information systems and technology, and biological risk control activities and safety. The study applies Combinatorial-Interval CoCoSo method in two case studies on eight hospitals. Hospitals are prioritized based on control activities within hospitals. Finally, the paper provides a framework for actions and evaluation of HWM 4.0, highlighting that it is a significant enhancement on previous paradigms.