Overview:
The U.S. healthcare industry spends more than $200 billion annually on medical and non-medical products. Unfortunately, many of the products and materials that come into a hospital may be harmful to patients, staff, and visitors, because they may contain or release (during production, use or disposal) carcinogens or toxins. Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), in healthcare, means buying products and services that are safer for human health and the environment. EPP plans include procedures that expand the scope of environmental purchasing, as new environmentally healthy products are identified. Environmentally preferable purchasing should also help the healthcare facility reduce waste and operate more efficiently, while still placing the safety of patients, staff, and visitors first.
Goals 2025:
- Complete project to establish green Lawson product coding, also in compliance with EO22
- Complete standardized procurement across three hospitals
- Group will continue to look at Vizient data to set goals, perhaps increasing purchasing for 2 or 3 commodities that Vizient tracks
Highlights:
In September 2024, Stony Brook University Hospital won the Vizient Environmental Sustainability Excellence Award in the Comprehensive Academic Medical Center cohort. The award recognizes providers that positively contribute to human and environmental health through responsible purchasing decisions, a commitment to carbon emissions reduction, and climate resilience. Vizient serves over 5,000 not-for-profit health system members and their affiliates, including 1,360 acute care hospitals. They focus on improving the performance of healthcare organizations, helping them achieve better outcomes, efficiency, and cost performance.
In 2023 and 2024 we reacted to market conditions and revamped our single use device (SUD) reprocessing program and greatly increased our spend on reprocessed devices.
The Chair of our Product Management Committee (PMC) leads the committee to consider the following attributes during the selection process of new or substitute products.
- Use less of it.
- Conserve (e.g., use less water, energy, or virgin resources to produce or use. Energy Star rating).
- Eliminate/reduce waste (e.g., minimal packaging).
- Reduce toxicity (e.g., non-DHEP, no chlorine).
- Ability to recycle.
- Comparable functionality and effectiveness.
- Consideration of total cost of ownership (e.g., unit cost, cost of waste, etc.).
The Product Management Committee (PMC) meets monthly and is focused on Value Analysis and Safety. We discuss what products will be approved for use at the Hospital. We also engage our GPOs to provide details on EPP attributes. There are established agreements for reprocessing and recycling services. Our Product Management Committee continues approval for purchases of all clinical products. End-user departments must document whether the proposed products contain chemicals of concern, including PVC, DEPC, mercury, and lead.
We have trained staff in sustainable procurement. Vizient conducted a presentation to our Commodities group to review and explain the EPP program available through the GPO. Our staff was taught how to access and target sustainable product offerings on the Vizient Contract site.
In the Print Shop, we use only recycled paper; some of the paper (white) is close to 100 percent recycled. We purchase only paints, adhesives and sealants that are low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds).
We purchase reusable surgical items and reprocessed medical devices (such as electrophysiology catheters) where clinically preferable. We purchase flooring, wall coverings, paints, mats, finishes, furniture, and exterior materials that avoid chemicals of concern.
We have changed the way we wash patients, which allows us to create a much smaller carbon footprint and has eliminated the use of 100,000 plastic wash basins per year. Instead of plastic wash basins, we now wash patients with pre-moistened towels, made from recycled paper, which decompose. In operating rooms, we use the Neptune system to consolidate medical waste for proper disposal.
Recognition:
In addition to the 2024 Vizient award, we were awarded the Circle of Excellence for Sustainable Procurement by Practice Greenhealth. The Circles of Excellence Awards celebrate hospitals who have not only earned an award for all-around achievement, but are also among the top ten highest performing hospitals nationwide in the area of sustainability expertise.
We have twice won the Environmental Excellence Award, from reprocessing vendor Sterilmed, for purchase of recycled and reprocessed products.
Team Leaders:
Bert Sansaricq, Michael DeMasi, Steve Weisman