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The health care industry wields significant purchasing power, representing 17 percent of the U.S. marketplace. However, some of the products marketed to the industry generate unnecessary waste, contain hazardous materials and use excessive energy. By choosing environmentally preferred medical products and equipment for use in hospital facilities, the health care sector can actually generate demand for inherently healthier and safer products and services for patients, workers and the environment. The availability of these products for the health care sector will translate into growing … Read More
Type: Resources
This life cycle assessment study conducted for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. compared the overall environmental impact of disposable polypropylene blue sterilization wraps with that of reusable aluminum hard sterilization cases. The study found that the reusable hard cases have roughly half the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions impact than the disposable polypropylene blue wraps annually.
Type: Resources
The problem
It is estimated that over 30 million people in the United States, or roughly 10% of Americans, have diabetes. About 30% of people who have been diagnosed with diabetes are managed with some form of insulin. Additionally, many critically ill hospitalized patients who have not been diagnosed with diabetes will require insulin while in the hospital. It is therefore no surprise that insulin is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the hospital setting. At Stony Brook University Hospital, insulin is in the top 20 drugs by spend.
Type: Resources
(Anesthetic gas toolkit) This presentation provides an overview of the mechanics of anesthetic gas systems, their environmental impact, and opportunities to reduce energy consumption and mitigate impact.
*Note: At the time of this presentation, different GWP were used for anesthetic gases than what we now use to calculate emissions.
Type: Resources
“Not only does this project impact greenhouse gasses from keeping food waste out of the landfill, it is also about dollars saved, which is important to hospital administrators, and then there is the food rescue piece which is what is really important to our community.”
– Jack Breezee, Sutter Health regional director of food and nutrition services
Sutter Health knew they were wasting food but didn’t know how much. They wanted to find a way to reduce food waste – and knew they could help their community at the same time.
Sutter Health partnered with our sustainability experts to… Read More
Type: Resources
(Anesthetic gas toolkit) Check out the stickers UCSF created to inform providers about the environmental impact of inhaled anesthetics and recommended fresh gas flow rates.
Type: Resources
Charters are usually created for discrete governance structures, such as the charter for Rush University’s green team utilities working group, a topical work group focused on energy. The charter outlines the group’s purpose and charge, which includes provision of regular progress updates to the organization’s high-level sustainability steering committee. Additional sections outline logistics, process, membership, and project areas.
Type: Resources
What is composting?
Compost is created from the decomposition of landscape and food wastes. In a finished product, it is a dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling material that appears similar to soil. Composting provides institutions with a method to dispose of a large portion of these waste streams in a way that benefits their bottom line and the environment. By composting, an institution avoids high per ton incineration or landfill disposal costs for these dense and heavy materials. For some institutions that use an industrial food disposal system, composting avoids sludge issues at the… Read More
Type: Resources
(Anesthetic gas toolkit) Inhaled anesthetics containing environmentally deleterious greenhouse gases are used daily in the practice of anesthesia. The hypothesis is that a reduction in fresh gas flows would significantly decrease volatile agent consumption and resultant purchasing costs at UCSF. Total fresh gas flows utilized by anesthesia providers were analyzed and the data subsequently used to educate employees on the efficient use of inhaled anesthetics.
Type: Resources
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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.
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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.