In this edition:

• Anne Arundel Medical Center Trailblazer Event Recap
• Maryland Hospitals Donate Scrubs Overseas
• Submit an abstract to MD H2E November Conference
• A Look at Earth Day Celebrations throughout Maryland
• Hospital Leadership Support Crucial in Going Green
• 2012 Practice Greenhealth Award Winners
• And much more!
• Enjoy!

Link: http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MDH2E-May-2012-News-Roundup.pdf

This year brings antibiotic and hormone-free meat; pesticide-free produce; plants, pickles, and of course the signature crepes, burgers, spreads, soups, and more.

And for a third year the University Farmers Market is accepting Women Infants and Children (WIC) vouchers and senior coupons.

With our office nearby, the MD H2E staff always looks forward to Tuesdays and what the market will bring! Here’s to a successful season.

The market is open Tuesdays from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm, through November 22.

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/green/farmers_market.htm#ixzz1uPLXp0hT

Rex Farms Orchard

A long line of lunchers

Nurses Denise Choiniere, Sustainability Manager, and Justin Graves, Green Team Chair, UMMC

Rain couldn’t keep the shoppers away

Health Care Professionals Return from CleanMed Ready to Green Health Care

Conference Provided Education, Tools, Motivation to Speed Health Care Sustainability

(Washington, DC)  Health care professionals from across the country are returning to work today with renewed energy and tools for engaging in sustainable health care after attending CleanMed, the nation’s most important conference on health care sustainability.  With information on new products, procedures and tools to help hospitals green their operations, including a new free program developed by the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, plus a strong business case, hospitals now have every incentive to begin reducing their environmental footprint.

“At CleanMed, we provided more than 50 multidisciplinary educational sessions that made the business case for health care sustainability as well as highlighted the health concerns of climate change and environmental impacts,” said Laura Wenger, executive director of Practice Greenhealth, one of the host sponsors of CleanMed.  “We are also providing tools, education, practice guidelines and other assistance to hospitals to help them engage in sustainable operations, and we hope they will take advantage of these programs.”

The Healthier Hospitals Initiative,  started  by Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm and The Center for Health Design, along with eleven major hospital systems, provides free “How-To” guides and technical assistance for hospitals to engage in sustainability in six areas of hospital operations.  Hospitals can enroll for free and proceed at their own pace.  The goal of HHI is to speed the engagement in sustainability across the health care sector.  A presentation on each of the six areas, or “Challenges,” was made at CleanMed for attendees to become more familiar with the program.

“CleanMed has an undeniable re-energizing component to it,” said Gary Cohen, President and Founder of Health Care Without Harm.  “Attendees are inspired by each other.  As attendees see what can be done, they bring back new ideas and information that they need to push their programs forward.  And of course, the main reason health care is engaged in this effort is to improve public health, which touches the mission of every hospital and speaks to health professionals, most of which entered their field with this goal in mind.”

The nation’s epidemic of chronic illnesses, much of which can be attributed to environmental factors, is behind the push for accelerating sustainable health care.  Heart and lung disease, obesity, cancer, asthma and other chronic illnesses all have environmental components.  Treating chronic illness consumes 75 percent of today’s health care expenses.

During CleanMed, Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm announced its annual award winners.  Jackie Hunt Christensen has been named the recipient of the 2012 Environmental Health Hero Award, the highest award bestowed by HCWH.  Presented annually, the Environmental Health Hero Award recognizes an individual whose professional accomplishments have significantly contributed to advances in environmental health science or policy. Ms. Christensen is a founder of HCWH and served as one of three co-coordinators who ran the organization following its formation.

“At Health Care Without Harm, with Gary [Cohen] and Charlotte [Brody], I learned to think – and work—both inside and outside ‘The Box.’  I think that strategy has been the key to the campaign’s many successes,” said Christensen.

Health Care Without Harm’s Nurses Work Group, along with The Luminary Project, has named Dr. Stephanie Chalupka, EdD, APRN, PHCNS-BC, FAAOHN, as the 2012 Recipient of the Charlotte Brody Award.  Dr. Chalupka is Professor of Public Health Nursing and Chair of the Dr. Lillian R. Goodman Department of Nursing at Worcester State University and also holds an appointment as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Environmental Health, Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program at the Harvard School of Public Health.  The award recognizes a nurse’s endeavors towards “brilliantly lighting the way to a healthier environment and inspiring other nurses to do the same.”  Other awards were presented by HCWH honoring nursing students, as well as  achievements in waste management.

The organizers of Cleanmed are committed to leaving a legacy in the cities we visit each year, using our collective capabilities to make a difference. This year we supported Project C.U.R.E, the world’s largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing nations. During the exhibition, CleanMed participants donated recyclable medical supplies that have not been used or contaminated to Project Cure.

More than 280 hospitals and supporting businesses received awards from Practice Greenhealth, including six inductees to the Environmental Leadership Circle, Practice Greenhealth’s highest award, which honors facilities that exemplify environmental excellence and are setting the highest standards for environmental practices in health care.  Those hospitals are Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Madigan Healthcare System, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, MetroWest Medical Center/Framing­ham Union Hospital and MetroWest Medical Center/Leonard Morse Hospital.

CleanMed’s companion conference, CleanMed Europe, will take place in Malmo, Sweden, on September 26-28, 2012.  CleanMed’s next US conference will be held on April 24-26, 2013 in Boston, Mass.

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Eileen C. Secrest, APR . Director of Communications . Health Care Without Harm

12355 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 680 . Reston, VA 20191 USA . 540.424.6512. www.noharm.org

AAMC was one of five hospitals to win Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment’s (MD H2E) annual Trailblazer Award, given to Maryland facilities or health systems that have shown leadership in advancing sustainability in a particular area or areas of their operations. The awards are presented at MD H2E’s November conference, Environmental Excellence in Health Care. Each winner hosts an educational event to showcase its award-winning green initiatives.

President and CEO Tori Bayless offered opening remarks, while speakers included Patty Schiro, Clinical Director, Hospital Pavilion Operating Room; Olive Murray, Operating Room Staff Nurse; and Charlotte Wallace, Sustainability Coordinator. Representatives from Stryker and Practice Greenhealth also presented.

AAMC is a national leader in greening its surgical services operation. The hospital replaced operating room surgical lights with LEDs, which not only save energy and last longer, but also do not give off heat or cast shadows (like traditional lights), a huge improvement for surgical teams. AAMC also started a program to move from disposable single use medical devices to reprocessed ones. The hospital put a surgical services recycling program in place and took additional steps to reduce the amount of operating room waste.

The surgical suite also switched to reusable, lighter microfiber mops, which only require one bucket of water per use, leading to less back strain for staff lifting heavy buckets. The old mops weighed five pounds wet, which meant 45,000 pounds of mops sent to the incinerator every year – adding to a hefty sum, since facilities are charged by weight.

AAMC’s green initiatives have saved money, helped protect patient and employee health, and reduced its impact on the environment.  MD H2E congratulates AAMC on its hard work, incredible progress, and inspired dedication.

Look for our upcoming MD H2E May 2012 News Roundup for a more in-depth look at the event!

Attendees listen to presentations while enjoying a healthy lunch.

Beautiful centerpieces made out of recycled blue wrap!

Reduction in Motion’s Katie Peige shows off the dress she made of blue wrap with the help of Charlotte Wallace, Sustainability Coordinator, AAMC.

TRACKING AND MEASURING SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS

Carroll Hospital Center

200 Memorial Avenue,  Westminster, Maryland 21157

May 15th, 10:00 am -12:00 pm

The future of green healthcare is in metrics and measurements. Carroll Hospital Center is leading the way through its use of a state-of-the-art sustainability software tool that allows the hospital to input its green initiatives and track its carbon footprint, energy and water consumption, and money saved. Last year Carroll Hospital Center reduced its natural gas use by 30% and saved over $120,000 by doing so! What could your facility do? Come May 15th to learn new ideas to take your green initiatives forward.

Speakers

Robert White

Vice President, Operations; Carroll Hospital Center

 Colleen Duerr, RN, BSN

Clinical Manager, IMC; Green Team Chairperson; Carroll Hospital Center

Christopher Kelly

Director, Campus Services; Carroll Hospital Center

Coffee and snacks will be provided

To register for this FREE event, please send your name, title, facility name, e-mail, and phone to Englund@son.umaryland.edu. Please RSVP by Tuesday, May 8^th.

Click here to learn more about Carroll Hospital Center’s award winning initiatives:
http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/CHCWeb.pdf

For more information on the Trailblazer Awards and upcoming Trailblazer Education Events, go to:
http://mdh2e.org/awards-recognition/2011-trailblazer-awards/

]]> http://mdh2e.org/2012/05/02/tracking-and-measuring-sustainability-programs-may-15-carroll-hospital-center/feed/ 0 http://mdh2e.org/2012/04/24/environmental-excellence-in-health-care-conference-call-for-abstracts/ http://mdh2e.org/2012/04/24/environmental-excellence-in-health-care-conference-call-for-abstracts/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:06:42 +0000 menglund http://mdh2e.org/?p=3417 MD H2E’s 5th annual Environmental Excellence in Health Care conference  will be held at the University of Maryland School of Nursing November 14th, 2012!

The theme this year is Innovations and Collaborations. MD H2E encourages you to submit an abstract!

Did your facility implement an inventive sustainable program through inter-departmental teamwork?

Did your hospital partner with a farmer, a vendor, or an organization to start a brand new green initiative?

Submit an abstract!

Bringing together different perspectives and thinking creatively to find environmental solutions is at the heart of sustainable health care. MD H2E urges all hospitals and health care providers in Maryland to submit an abstract to present at the 5th annual conference. Wherever you are in your greening journey, you’ve got stories to share! Find more information and details here:

MD H2E Call for Abstracts Environmental Excellence in Health Care 2012

The deadline to submit is Monday, July 16, 2012. Early submission encouraged.

Included:

• Trailblazer Education Event information
• The Healthier Hospital Initiative
• Maryland Sustainability Leadership Council
• Articles about dye-free plastics, managing energy, curbing waste, helping the environment and the bottom line, use of antibiotics in livestock and agriculture, and so much more!

As always, send us the latest happenings at your facility so we can spread the good word!

Link to newsletter:

http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/MDH2E_April_2012_News_Roundup-FINAL.pdf

GREENING THE SURGICAL SERVICES

Anne Arundel Medical Center

April 27^th, 11:30 am-1:30 pm

Energy Conservation. Regulated Medical Waste Reduction and Segregation. Toxin reduction. Anne Arundel Medical Center has taken on these challenges in its operating rooms and hurdled past them! Come to AAMC for this FREE educational event April 27th to learn more about reducing costs, protecting employee and patient health, and lessening health care’s impact on the environment.

Agenda:

Lunch will be offered at 11:30, which attendees are invited to enjoy during the program, beginning promptly at 11:45

• Introduction to Trailblazer Series, Molly Englund
  Communications Coordinator, Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment

• Welcome to AAHS, Tori Bayless
  President and CEO, Anne Arundel Health Systems

• The Beginnings of Greening the Surgical Services, Katie Boston
  Former Senior Director of Surgical Services, Anne Arundel Medical Center

• Waste Segregation, Olive Murray
  Operating Room Staff Nurse, Anne Arundel Medical Center

• Reprocessing Surgical Devices, Amy Barnes
  Account Manager, Stryker

• Toxin and Energy Reduction, Charlotte Wallace
  Sustainability Manager, Anne Arundel Medical Center

• National Trends and What’s to Come, Kaeleigh Sheehan
  Project Manager, Practice Greenhealth

Anne Arundel Medical Center
2001 Medical Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Click here to learn more about AAMC’s award winning initiatives:
http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/AAMCWeb.pdf

Email Englund@son.umaryland.edu to register.

This edition includes updates on:

• Recap of University of Maryland Medical Center’s Trailblazer Education Event: Energy Conservation
• Urban Farming Mural Unveiled at Bon Secours Hospital
• AAMC Shares Sustainability Success Chart
• UMMC’s Sustainability Manager Featured in Nurse.com
• TEN Maryland hospitals highlighted in National Sustainability Article
• Kaiser Permanente to Reduce Carbon Footprint by 30%!
• Upcoming Maryland Health Care Sustainability Leadership Council (HCSLC) Meeting
• Introduction to Permeable Pavement
• Eliminating Toxic Diesel Exhaust
• Send Scrubs Overseas
• Medical Wellness Centers
• New MD H2E Resources – perfect for Earth Day!
• And MUCH MUCH more

Enjoy, and please let us know what’s going green at your facility!

Newsletter Link: http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MDH2E-March-2012-News-Roundup.pdf

 To register, please send your name, title, facility name, e-mail, and phone to Englund@son.umaryland.edu.

Trailblazer Education Series

SUSTAINABLE FOODS

Union Hospital of Cecil County
March 22^nd, 11 am-1 pm

 Learn about:

Cost-saving and culinary strategies for purchasing local sustainable foods, state and federal regulations for the safety of local foods, where to find sustainable farmers in our region, and other tools and resources.

Union Hospital’s sustainable practices in 2011 included:

• 100% of beef, 90% poultry purchased locally & sustainably
• 44% of meat, poultry, vegetables, fruit, and dairy purchased locally
• 90% of all meals made with non-processed, whole foods

Union Hospital has won MANY awards for their sustainable initiatives:

• MD H2E Trailblazer Award for Leadership in Sustainable Practices 2011
• Governor Martin O’Malley’s first Smart, Green, and Growing Buy Local Agricultural Challenge Award 2011
• Outstanding Maryland Rural Health Achievement Award 2011
• Maryland Green Registry Leadership Award 2010
• Cecil County Recycling Award 2010

Agenda:

Welcome, Dave Gipson
Chief Operating Officer, Union Hospital

Introduction to Trailblazer Series, Molly Englund
Communications Coordinator, Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment

Supporting our Local Farmers & Economy, Earl “Buddy” Hance
Maryland Secretary of Agriculture

Cost-Saving Strategies for Purchasing Local Sustainable Foods, Holly Emmons
Food & Nutrition Services Manager, Union Hospital

Culinary & Purchasing Strategies with Cooking Demo, Will Morgan
Executive Chef, Union Hospital of Cecil County

Tools & Resources for Purchasing, Louise Mitchell
Sustainable Foods Program Manager, Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment

State & Federal Regulations for Local Foods Safety, Karen Fedor
Senior Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Where to Find Sustainable Farmers in our Region, Alice Chalmers
Executive Director, Future Harvest-Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

 A delicious, sustainable lunch will be served.  

Meet farmers, growers, and producers who work with Union Hospital:

HyPoint Dairy – Kilby Cream – Liberty Delight – KCC Natural Farms – Priapi Gardens – Filasky Farm – Milburn Orchards – Dove Valley Vineyards – Harbor House Seafood

 To register for this FREE event, please send your name, title, facility name, e-mail, and phone to Englund@son.umaryland.edu. Please RSVP by Friday, March 16^th.  

 To learn more about Union Hospital’s sustainable foods program, go to:

http://mdh2e.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/UHCCWeb.pdf

For more information on the Trailblazer Awards and upcoming Trailblazer Education Events, go to:

http://mdh2e.org/awards-recognition/2011-trailblazer-awards/

Attendance is open to all. However, priority will be given to hospital and health care employees when limitations occur.