Submitted story
For the third year in a row, Mercy Health is being recognized for its commitment to developing a sustainable culture that will protect the environment and its communities’ health, now and for future generations.
Practice Greenhealth, a leading sustainability member organization for hospital networks, has once again recognized Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center and Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital with Partner for Change Awards. This recognition spotlights hospitals for superior performance in sustainability through a range of different programs and activities.
“In my 41 years of working at Mercy Health, I have seen a lot of initiatives to conserve and reduce all kinds of energy and waste while being good stewards of our resources. Sustainability is a huge initiative for the entire ministry, and a lot of man hours and work have gone into it,” said said Bob Jenkins who leads the energy efficiency initiatives as Director of Plant Operations at Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital.
In health care, sustainability means looking at how facility operations affect the health and safety of the environment as well as the health of patients, staff, visitors, and the local community. Strategies to address sustainability at our organization include minimizing and recycling waste, addressing chemicals of concern, lowering energy and water consumption, sourcing food and products sustainably, and establishing environmentally preferable purchasing criteria.
“At Mercy Health, we know sustainability is essential to better care for our patients, communities, and planet,” according to a prepared statement. “In recent years, we have made great strides toward reducing our impact on the environment, and we are committed to doing even more.”
Some of the sustainability projects include:
-Switching from conventional fluorescent lighting to LED lighting
-Reducing landfill waste by recycling all cardboard
-Reducing solid food waste through a composting initiative
“In a shifting health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “Both Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center and Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital demonstrate the kind of leadership, innovation, and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
The Partner for Change award is one of Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards given annually to honor health care’s achievements in sustainability.
Submitted by Mercy Health
