Tools and resources

University of Maryland Medical Center: Reusable textiles in the OR

• Greening the Operating Room Case Study
• Waste
• Case Study

University of Maryland Medical Center has been using reusable gowns and basins in their operating rooms for 15 years. In 2007, UMMC staff started a green team to decrease the facility's negative impact on the environment. A review of the hospital's waste disposal system led administrators to reduce the amount of waste the facility generates.

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UCSF Medical Center: Efficient use of fresh gas flow for inhaled anesthetics

• Greening the Operating Room
• Exemplary Document
• UCSF
• Report
• Anesthetic Gas

(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…

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Transportation Infographic PDF

• Transportation
• Poster
• Presentation
• Greenhouse Gas

Transportation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and is right behind energy production in terms of its impact. The health care sector contributes 8% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States each year. Hospitals must make transportation more sustainable in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

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Tips for evaluating a third-party reprocessor

• Guide
• Medical Device Reprocessing
• Devices

The Association for Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) is an excellent resource for keeping up-to-date on research and activity around device reprocessing (www.amdr.org). AMDR is a trade association for third-party reprocessors whose members account for about 95 percent of the third-party reprocessing done in the United States. AMDR suggests that hospitals ask key questions to vendors before…

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Textiles: Additional environmental considerations for the RFP/RFI process

• Greening the Operating Room
• Reuse, donate, or sell
• Tool

Consider the suggested RFI/RFP questions for reusable textiles, including towels, blankets, and patient apparel, to identify products that are environmentally preferable and an alternative to single-use, disposable items. 

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Ten-step guide to implementing an integrated pest management program

• Chemicals
• Guide
• Integrated pest management

One of the most important responsibilities of any health care provider can be captured best by four wellknown words from the writings of Hippocrates: “First, do no harm.” Adhering to that maxim is intuitive and ethical, and in recent years has led to a variety of programs to improve not only the tools and techniques of modern medicine, but also the health care environment itself. One of the most…

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Environmental considerations for television systems and services

• Sustainable procurement
• Guide

These environmental considerations will inform the purchasing process for television systems and services.   

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Sustainability as a quality imperative at Virginia Mason

• Employees Case Study
• Virginia Mason
• Employee engagement
• Case Study
• Toolkit

(Employee engagement toolkit) Virginia Mason’s award-winning environmental stewardship initiative, EnviroMason, is fully supported—from senior leadership to their team members. Sustainability is integrated into the everyday work along with patient safety and other organizational process improvement. The Virginia Mason Production System helps them identify and implement sustainability initiatives.

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Suggested integrated pest management RFP Questions

• Chemicals
• Tool
• Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a coordinated approach to pest management that seeks to prevent unacceptable levels of pests by prioritizing the most-effective means with the least possible hazard to building occupants, workers and the environment. This is a strategy focusing on long-term prevention and suppression of pest problems through a combination of practices such as structural,…

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Stericycle - Stericulture Initiative

• Employee engagement
• Stericycle
• Case Study
• Engaged Leadership
• Employees Case Study

Paul Spiegelman, chief culture officer for Stericycle, is using his current role as his learning lab for his theory that employee engagement is a key tactic for business success, regardless of industry, geography or company size. If employees are treated in a way that enhances their empowerment and personal growth, then it follows that people will be more productive, work harder and be happier…

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