In recognition for standard-setting innovation and environmental stewardship, Stony Brook University Hospital recently received the 2018 Greening the OR Award and the Greenhealth Emerald Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare. These environmental excellence Awards are given annually to honor environmental achievements in the healthcare sector.
The Greening the OR Award recognizes the facility demonstrating the most success in reducing the environmental impact of its surgical suites. Operating Rooms are large contributors to a healthcare facility’s environmental footprint, creating opportunity for significant cost savings and sustainability improvements.
The Greenhealth Emerald Award recognizes healthcare facilities that are setting the standard in eliminating mercury, reducing and recycling waste, and sustainable sourcing, among other environmental efforts. Winning hospitals have demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and shown leadership in the local community and healthcare sector.
“As a healthcare provider, sustainability and environmental responsibility is key to the health of our patients, staff and community,” said Carol Gomes, MS, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Quality Officer for Stony Brook University Hospital. “We hold ourselves accountable to our community, to our organization and to each other for our performance and behaviors. We continue to improve the quality and measurable outcomes of our programs.”
In an effort to conserve energy in the OR, a program was initiated with temperature setbacks to reduce heating costs at night in unoccupied rooms. The OR team reduced the use of disposable basins by using metal reusable basins. More than 10,000 reusable basin sets were used and reprocessed in 2017. All of the hospital’s Operating Rooms are equipped with LED surgical lighting to reduce energy consumption.
“We have had tremendous success evidenced by our metrics,” said Jill Kavoukian, Director of Healthcare Safety and Sustainability at Stony Brook University Hospital. “Medical plastics, cardboard and construction debris recycling increased this past year. There was a reduction in food waste due to effective program management coupled with food donation.”
Kavoukian noted that the implementation of effective programming in greening the Operating Rooms, environmentally preferable purchasing, healthier foods, green building initiatives and safer chemical use all contributed to the recognition from Practice Greenhealth.
The awards were presented at the Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards Gala on May 9 in San Diego at the conclusion of the CleanMed Conference and Exhibition.