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Stewardship is a key aspect of the culture at Virginia Mason, as we strive to carefully manage the resources that keep our community in good health. One area of stewardship that is often overlooked in health care is the need to protect the environment. We know it makes good sense to reduce pollution for future generations. At an industry level, health care has lagged behind in taking proactive steps to protect our natural resources, but Virginia Mason is ahead of the curve. We were the first hospital in the Pacific Northwest to begin recycling and composting food waste and materials used in… Read More
Type: Resources
There are ten key elements in a best-in-class sustainable procurement program. The image below summarizes each element and where it is found in the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, a framework for developing and implementing a successful program.
To learn more about each element and the PDCA cycle, refer to Practice Greenhealth’s sustainable procurement guide for health care. The guide serves as a roadmap for both new and existing programs and provides step-by-step guidance, tools, and resources for health care organizations to develop a sustainable purchasing strategy that prioritizes community… Read More
Type: Resources
Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm recommend that food purchased carry one of these certifications when possible: the Agricultural Justice Project, Fair for Life, and Regenerative Organic. These certifications are recommended because of their commitment to addressing the social and economic determinants of health, individual health and safety of workers, and community resilience and their inclusion of sustainability criteria. To be recommended, each certification had to be recommended for at least one category (individual health and safety, social and economic determinants of… Read More
Type: Resources
Here are two sample news stories as well as a brief description for each of Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards. Feel free to use some or all of this content as you promote your win internally and externally. You can find additional resources, including award logos, on our website. If you have questions, please reach out to press@practicegreenhealth.org.
Sample news story 1
<Hospital name> recognized for its leadership on environmental sustainability
A focus on more sustainable operations supports healthier patients, staff, and communities
In recognition for its… Read More
Type: Resources
(Transportation toolkit) Transportation intersects with health care facilities in the ways that employees, patrons, and supplies travel to and from hospitals and satellite facilities, all of which contribute to poor air quality, hospital greenhouse gas emissions, and adverse environmental and community health outcomes. The health care sector is in a position to model and advocate for alternative and healthier modes of transit. Innovative transportation strategies can improve individual and public health by inviting employees out of their cars and into more active and healthy modes of travel,… Read More
Type: Resources
(Safer hand hygiene toolkit) Infection prevention and control in health care are of primary importance. Antimicrobials remain one of the most important lines of defense in the prevention of infection. However, some commonly used antimicrobials in hand hygiene products found in the health care setting, such as hand soaps, can pose hazards for employees and the environment and may increase antimicrobial resistance.
Type: Resources
University Hospitals knows their decisions impact the cultural, economic and physical landscape of northeast Ohio and resonate on a national and global level. They are committed to communicating their values to the next generation of health care providers, sharing best practices with peer institutions, and employing innovative strategies to become a leader in sustainable health care.
View this resource to read the full environmental commitment statement.
Type: Resources
The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) is a comprehensive national campaign to implement and improve environmental health and sustainability in the health care sector. To achieve 100% of the HHI goals, Advocate Health Care aims to implement proven environmental practices as standard processes and procedures, which contribute to improved patient outcomes, workplace safety, illness prevention, environmental benefits and significant costs savings. This proposal on achieving better sustainability results includes current progress and benchmarks for the next several years.
Type: Resources
Kaiser Permanente recently became the first health system to achieve carbon neutral status in the country. As the largest integrated, nonprofit health system in the United States, this achievement demonstrates its longstanding commitment to sustainability.
Certified by the CarbonNeutral Protocol, the organization has eliminated or offset its 800,000-ton annual carbon footprint, the equivalent of taking 175,000 cars off the road. The certification applies to its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, as well as select Scope 3 emissions including corporate travel.
For decades, Kaiser Permanente has… Read More
Type: Resources
(Sustainable procurement guide) Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm have identified high-impact procurement opportunities based on input from a wide range of health care organizations. “High-impact” means the category can play a significant role in the health and safety of patients, staff, and the environment. The list is not in priority order; it is sorted by the primary topic, though many topics may be applicable to each category.
For additional ideas, see Practice Greenhealth’s sustainable procurement directory, which lists 120 prioritized product categories.
Type: Resources
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 1,500 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.