Tools and resources

Metro Health Hospital's employee engagement

• Employees Case Study
• Employee engagement
• Case Study
• Metro Health
• Toolkit

(Employee engagement toolkit) At Metro Health, the commitment to sustainability goes beyond the innovative design features of the hospital. It’s evident in day-to-day business practices and ongoing strategies to conserve natural resources and promote a healthy environment. Over the past 10 years Metro has implemented numerous successful programs. Many of these programs in energy, waste and…

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North Suburban Medical Center: Fluid management in the OR

• Greening the Operating Room Case Study
• Case Study

NSMC staff struggled with the safe management of fluid waste in the operating room (OR). NSMC recently purchased the Stryker Neptune Fluid Management System for the hospital’s 6 ORs. The new system has not only addressed the safety concerns of the organization, but it has also reduced waste while meeting the needs of the OR doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists.

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NorthShore University Health System: Mercury Policies (2016)

• Chemicals
• Mercury
• Exemplary Document
• NorthShore University HealthSystem
• Policy

It is the policy of NorthShore University Health System to prohibit all unnecessary acquisition of mercury-added products in its facilities and to ensure that all mercury containing equipment and waste is managed and disposed in a manner that is safe, protective of the environment, and compliant with all applicable regulations. The policy establishes guidelines for the procurement, use, and…

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NYU Langone: Contracting Purchasing (2016)

• Waste
• Chemicals
• Exemplary Document
• Hazardous and universal waste
• Policy
• NYU Langone Medical Center

NYU Langone Medical Center provides an example of a safety policy on the proper management and disposal of hazardous waste from contractors involved in construction and building maintenance. The purpose of this policy is to protect human health and the environment and to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.   View this resource to read the full policy from…

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Environmental considerations for rapid test kits

• Sustainable procurement
• EPP
• Medical products
• Waste
• Mercury

There are several environmental considerations for rapid test screen kits including waste minimization, mercury, and PVC. This guide includes sample request for proposal language and other factors to consider when purchasing rapid test screen kits. 

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Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center: Reusable isolation gowns

• Case Study
• Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
• Sustainable procurement
• Toolkit

(Less waste toolkit) Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, located in West Los Angeles, began a reusable isolation gown pilot project in May 2012, starting with a liver transplant unit that was using 1,000 disposable isolation gowns per day. During a collaborative six-month trial period, the reusable isolation gown design was finalized and rolled out. The reusable gowns offer more comfort and better…

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Spectrum Health: Medical plastics recycling in the OR

• Greening the Operating Room Case Study
• Recycling
• Case Study

To become a more sustainable organization, Spectrum Health hired a sustainability coordinator to address recycling. Spectrum Health’s goal was to reduce its overall waste stream by 30 percent by focusing on regulated medical waste reduction and recycling efforts.

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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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University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview: OR kit reformulation

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

Through the establishment of a voluntary operating room green team, University of Minnesota Medical Center's Dr. Rafael Andrade has been dedicated to improving the health of the environment by working to reduce the amount of waste his procedures generate.

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Value of sustainability initiatives in surgical suites

• Benchmark Report
• Greening the Operating Room

Practice Greenhealth’s report demonstrates how your hospital can save money – up to $56,000 per operating room annually – while improving environmental and community health. Leading hospitals are targeting the surgical suite to reduce waste, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and supply costs. Those participating in Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards reported combined…

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