Happy end-of-winter greetings to everyone!

Please find the winter edition of the IPM in Health Care Facilities newsletter attached.

IPM Winter 2011 Newsletter

Included is the most current information about the hot topic right now: bed bugs.  Also, we feature an interview with Springfield Hospital and Angel Systems on their successful IPM program and their pesticide-free campus.

Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment kicked off the first in a series of educational events, with partner hospital University of Maryland Medical Center.

In November 2010, MD H2E awarded four recipient hospitals for their Trailblazing activities on their journey to sustainability in health care. On February 15th, the University of Maryland Medical Center proudly hosted the Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Management program, complete with a healthy lunch served with compostable serviceware.

The University of Maryland Medical Center Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Management team presented to a full room of pharmacists, nurses, facility managers, and others about the design, development and implementation of UMMC’s hazardous pharmaceutical waste management program. Leonard Taylor, Vice President of Facilities and executive leader of the UMMC Green Team, welcomed the crowd of 50 to the event. The presentation on UMMC’s program was provided by the team co-leads — Sustainability Manager Denise Choiniere and Pharmacy Clinical Specialist Bethany Shelbourne. Their talk was thorough and inspiring. Attendees learned about key questions to address when starting a program, such as:

• Why build an EPA pharmaceutical program?
• How do we get out of the starting block?
• Do we build this program internally or externally?
• How much and what do we collect?
• Do we segregate front-end or back-end?
• How many containers will we need?
• How do we train 2,000 nurses?
• How do we monitor compliance?

The team, which involved members of pharmacy, nursing, safety, and environmental services, began a pilot program in the cancer center. After 90 days, it was deemed a success and ready to be instituted across the Medical Center. This included the critical task of educating 2,000 nurses. But educate they did, at committee meetings, via e-mails, on posters, in-services and more. And the program is going strong.

According to Denise, it was important to eliminate the possibility of human error: on the label of all UMMC’s hazardous pharmaceuticals, it says “Hazardous Waste,” with instructions for proper disposal.

The attendees were delighted by the event. One said afterward that, “The amount of work showed. It was flawless.” Another gushed, “It feels like a load off. I feel ready to go with this at my hospital now. It’s wonderful to hear from someone else in the area who has done this already. It’s a hot topic and it’s the right thing to do.”

For those who were not able to attend, the UMMC presentation is available here.

For more information on instituting a hazardous pharmaceutical waste program, contact Denise Choiniere, Sustainability Manager, at dchoiniere@umm.edu.

If you are a food service director, chef, dietitian, or purchasing/production manager at health care facility or other institution, the Food Leadership Council of Maryland & DC is your opportunity to discuss strategies for local sustainable meat and other protein food purchases. Learn from others in your field who are working together to achieve positive change in health care meals.

Location: Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital

Baltimore, MD

Time:      1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

RSVP to attend in person or participate via conference call to Louise Mitchell,
410-706-1924 or Lmitc001@son.umaryland.edu.

MD H2E is facilitating the creation of Maryland’s Health Care Sustainability Leadership Council, comprised of health care providers who want to lead the development of environmental and community health efforts across Maryland.

Representatives from 20 health care facilities/systems in Maryland have already signed up!

Our first meeting, which is for health care providers only, is on February 22nd.

To learn more or to participate in this new initative, contact Joan Plisko, plisko@son.umaryland.edu

—————

Sustainability leadership is about critical and forward thinking, piloting new ideas, modeling behaviors, and setting examples for others to follow. Here is what we expect to be part of the pioneering work of the HCSLC:

The HCSLC will provide guidance and advice to sustainability professionals working in Maryland.

The HCSLC will advise MD H2E on topics and endeavors to continue creating value to Maryland’s health care community.

The HCSLC will chart the course for statewide collaborative sustainability efforts.

The HCSLC will provide insights to creating a more vigorous marketplace.

This is an opportunity to work and learn from peers, create and participate in statewide campaigns and collaborative efforts, develop measurable statewide health care environmental goals, and leverage the commonalities among and between health care facilities to generate reduced costs and improved environmental and health outcomes!

Welcome to the MD H2E February 2011 News Roundup. Inside, find articles on:

-          Howard County General Hospital’s “Pioneering Sustainability” Award from USGBC

-          UMMC’s Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Trailblazer Event

-          MD H2E’s Newest Advisory Board Member: Robert White, Carroll Hospital Center

-          MD H2E’s newest resource: An interactive map of our hospital participants!

-          Upcoming Events

-          1^st Meeting of the MNA Environmental Health Committee

-          Local Sustainable Poultry and National Nutrition Month

-          Developing a Hospital Recycling Program

-          Annual Bike Symposium

-          And more!

Enjoy, and remember to send us your hospital updates so we can include it!

Tuesday, February 22^nd, 2011
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Maryland Nurses Association
21 Governor’s Court, Suite 195
Baltimore, MD 21244

[UPDATE] This event has been rescheduled for March 22, 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

We invite all MD H2E nurses to attend the inaugural meeting of the Maryland Nurses Association’s  Environmental Health Committee!  The Environmental Health Committee creates a community of nurses interested in making positive changes for the environment and health. Join us for a lively discussion of how nurses can make health care safer for patients, staff and the community, and explore ideas for the future of the committee. Greening the OR will also be addressed. If you can’t attend in person, there is a conference call number you can join. We hope you can make it!

• Dinner will be provided
• Special topic:  Greening the OR
• Teleconference option: 1 (800) 351-4871  Pass code: 19886970#

(Membership in the MNA is not required to attend this event)

RSVP to Karin Russ, Nursing Outreach Coordinator at:

kruss003@son.umaryland.edu