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Pest control in hospitals is important to maintain cleanliness and prevent the spread of disease. However, many pest control chemicals are toxic and can expose patients, staff, and visitors to harmful compounds, threatening health. Since hospitals are operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there is no “after-business” window with reduced exposure risks to safely apply chemicals.
Hospitals looking to reduce the number of pest control chemicals used in their facilities are turning to integrated pest management programs that eliminate regularly scheduled pesticide applications. Instead,… Read More
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In 2022, over 600 Practice Greenhealth facilities signed onto the HHS pledge and publicly committed to "develop and release a climate resilience plan for continuous operations by the end of 2023, anticipating the needs of groups in their community that experience a disproportionate risk of climate-related harm." Drawing from Health Care Without Harm's resilience framework of "facilities, community, and public infrastructure," this cohort provides guidance and a structured approach for drafting climate resilience plans for health systems that have signed onto the HHS Pledge.
Cohort… Read More
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Hospitals are seen by the community as a place for healing, and as such, can be a key force in community-wide collaborations that address social and environmental determinants of health such as food insecurity.
Through investments in programming and purchasing, hospitals are creating healthy food access for patients, staff, and visitors and simultaneously building healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems for their communities using tactics such as:
Farmers markets and farm stands on hospital campuses to provide easy access to healthy locally grown foods
On-site food gardens and… Read More
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Plant-forward is a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources – fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices – and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability. – Culinary Institute of America
Plant-forward is the most delicious “quadruple” bottom line approach that health care can take – achieving social, environmental, and financial goals while providing great-tasting food.
Explore why food champions in every profession from chefs to… Read More
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Hospitals care for and heal patients and also protect and promote community health. Sharing information about the risks and health impacts of our changing climate, with an emphasis on a hospital’s plans to address these challenges, is integral to a hospital’s healing mission and can provide the foundation for community-wide sustainability and resiliency efforts.
Gundersen Health System achieved energy independence in 2014 with renewable energy sourced from its community. Gundersen’s former CEO Dr. Jeff Thompson explained, “Our board saw the need to make an investment to take care of our… Read More
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Ready for trendy, mouthwatering meals that are healthy for people and the planet? The Plant-Forward Future is here.
Plant-Forward Future is a curated set of resources from Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm, and our partners that will help health care facilities set a plant-forward goal, menu and market plant-forward dishes, and track their progress.
Plant-Forward Future is a positive, forward-thinking approach that emphasizes the variety, taste, and craveability of plant-forward dishes.
Remote video URL
Set a goal and explore… Read More
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Award applications for different facility types
The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards provide recognition for health care organization members across the achievement spectrum.
Practice Greenhealth benchmarks three categories of facilities—based on whether they have overnight (staffed) beds or operating rooms within the facility.
Facility type 1: Facilities with overnight beds and ORs (typically acute care or critical access hospitals)
Facility type 2: Inpatient facilities without operating rooms, such as long-term care (LTC), psychiatric, orthopedic rehab, and… Read More
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Hospitals need to remain operational during and after extreme weather events so people can get the medical care they need and communities can recover from disruption. As climate change leads to increases in the intensity, duration, and geographic reach of extreme weather such as heat waves, hurricanes, flooding, and fires, hospitals must make their facilities more resilient and work with their communities on emergency preparedness planning.
Partners HealthCare’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, located on a former brownfield site on the Boston harbor, was built with climate-resilient… Read More
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The manufacture, use, and disposal of computers, imaging equipment (printers, copiers, fax, multi-functional devices [MFDs], scanners, digital duplicators), mobile phones, servers, televisions and their electronic accessories have a global adverse impact on human and environmental health. Electronics contain toxic heavy metals, halogenated flame retardants, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and many other chemicals of concern. Rapid changes in technology mean many of these products have short lives and are easier to dispose than to repair and upgrade.
Electronics goal
Specify, purchase and report… Read More
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Join Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals.
Who We Are
Practice Greenhealth is the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,700 hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada. Partnership opportunities include hospitals, health systems, community health organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, government, academic institutions, and the health care value chain.