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Sugar sweetened beverages contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity and associated chronic diseases that go along with weight gain. The production, consumption and waste associated with sugar-sweetened and bottled beverages have numerous negative environmental consequences that are often overlooked. By offering more healthy alternatives, the health care community can assist in creating a food environment that supports health for both the community it serves and the environment in general.
Type: Resources
Part of Impact purchasing commitment: Getting started guides
Every day, patients and employees are exposed to a wide array of chemicals in hospitals and health care facilities, and the priority chemicals of concern have been shown to have a lasting negative impact on individual health, public health, and the environment. Furnishings can be a significant contributor to poor health in interior spaces, like hospitals, with chemicals migrating out into dust, food, air, water, and ecosystems during their life cycle. Additionally, if harmful chemicals are used to make furnishings, communities… Read More
Type: Resources
Since Florence Nightingale first helped make the connection between cleaning and improved health outcomes, health care workers and the cleaning industry have responded with a wide array of effective and economical products and processes. However, we now know that some of these older and traditional cleaning products and processes can negatively impact both health and the environment. Today, new, less toxic cleaning products are becoming an integral component of a healing environment by:
reducing stress on the building's occupants
improving safety
contributing to improved ecological health… Read More
Type: Resources
(Sustainable procurement guide) Many resources are available to learn more about implementing a sustainable procurement program and buying sustainable products and services. The health care sustainable procurement guide refers to several of them listed below.
Type: Resources
(Employee engagement toolkit) The rate at which Cleveland Clinic uses energy has financial costs, as well as human and environmental health impacts. Reducing the rate of energy used creates a cleaner environment, improves health, and delivers substantial cost savings over the short and long term. In pursuit of care affordability, over $12M of energy waste was identified across the health system. As the facilities experts fine-tune and upgrade buildings and operating systems, caregivers’ workplace behaviors come into sharp focus to help reduce energy demand.
Type: Resources
Coffee and tea production have become increasingly industrialized since the 1970s relying on more chemical-intensive fertilization and pest control techniques and other practices that can have many negative social, economic, and human and environmental health impacts. As organizations that purchase, serve or otherwise make coffee and tea readily available to patients, staff and visitors, health care purchasers can help to counteract these negative impacts.
Type: Resources
This document provides guidance for manufacturers wishing to meet Health Care Without Harm’s examination and surgical glove criteria. The criteria apply to examination and surgical gloves used within healthcare. The criteria do not apply to gloves used for other purposes.
Type: Resources
(Sustainable procurement guide) Health care organizations face some common challenges when implementing sustainable procurement programs. The list below provides some helpful solutions and lessons learned by organizations with well-established sustainable procurement programs.
Type: Resources
Infection prevention and control in health care is of primary importance. Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) direct costs are between $35.75 billion annually and result in almost 100,000 deaths in the US. HAIs also hold implications for reimbursement, as CMS now requires that the occurrence of three HAI related Healthcare acquired Conditions (HACs) may result in lower reimbursement rates in Medicare patients without other complication. This rule continues as part of its annual Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule which took effect on October 1, 2008. Although there may not… Read More
Type: Resources
As one of the largest users of supplies and generators of hospital waste, the operating room (OR) is a strategic priority for any hospital hoping to reduce its impact on the environment. This tool is designed to assist health care providers in assessing the status of environmental best practices in the OR.
Type: Resources
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