New Sustainability Benchmark Report Available Through Practice Greenhealth

The 2014 edition of the annual healthcare Sustainability Benchmark Report, highlighting the achievements of the 2014 award-winning facilities, is available through Practice Greenhealth. Available for download by Practice Greenhealth members as a benefit of membership, the report compiles a vast amount of data collected from the 223 winners of the Greenhealth Partner for Change Award, Greenhealth Emerald Award and the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award.

The report provides the nation’s most comprehensive analysis of how hospitals are progressing in their commitment to environmental stewardship—a quest that has even greater meaning as the sector struggles with defining methods to support population health, and as there is better scientific clarity on the links between environmental exposures, chronic diseases and cancer. This report will assist hospitals in conducting gap analyses, by providing comprehensive data on the environmental progress of healthcare facilities across the sector for comparison.

The Sustainability Benchmark Report captured a complete year of achievement for Practice Greenhealth award winners, and demonstrated that they saved more than $110 million through their sustainability activities. Savings include:

• More than $25 million was saved due to energy sustainability interventions.
• Hospitals prevented 102,000 tons of waste with recycling projects, resulting in savings of $28 million.
• Total savings in the operating rooms were approximately $56 million.
• Together, the hospitals saved 275 million gallons of water, totaling $1.1 million in savings.
• These, along with other sustainability interventions, saved more than $110.6 million.

“Practice Greenhealth award winners demonstrate that the health of their patients, staff and community is central to the core of their mission,” said Jeffrey Brown, executive director of Practice Greenhealth. “These award winners have a vision that all healthcare organizations should strive for in the future.”

This is the only report that shows comprehensive data illustrating the progress of sustainability across the healthcare sector in such detail. In addition to reporting on metrics, the report shares sustainability trends and emerging areas of focus, such as the Greening the OR Initiative.

For more information about the 2014 Sustainability Benchmark Report, contact Cecilia Deloach Lynn at cdeloach@practicegreenhealth.org.