WASHINGTON, DC - Bronson Methodist Hospital and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center were honored today at the American Hospital Association's Annual Meeting with the 2003 Environmental Leadership Award, the premiere award of the national Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) program. H2E is a joint effort of the American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association, Health Care Without Harm and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve environmental performance in health care.

From closing its medical waste incinerator, to recycling lab chemicals, to implementing comprehensive waste minimization and energy conservation programs that are directly tied to employee job performance standards, Bronson has realized considerable cost-savings and has highlighted the direct link between JCAHO's Environment of Care Standards and its own waste management goals. Dartmouth-Hitchcock recycles 38% of its waste stream and runs a successful "Redo Center" and "Trading Post", providing opportunities for staff to transfer materials to another department instead of throwing them away. Dartmouth-Hitchcock has been mercury-free since 1997, has eliminated the use of ethylene oxide, and continues to find new ways to raise the bar for environmental programs.

"We commend these hospitals for finding new and innovative ways to provide quality patient care while improving the health of our environment," said Mac Robinson, Vice President at the AHA. "Bronson and Dartmouth-Hitchcock are shining examples of what hospitals can achieve with a commitment to environmental programs."

H2E also honored seven health-related organizations today with the "Champions for Change Award" in recognition of their work to promote pollution prevention and to bring new hospitals into the H2E program. "By helping health care facilities reduce their collective impact on the environment, H2E Champions are leading the way toward a healthier society at large," said H2E Director Laura Brannen.

H2E is also honoring 27 hospitals with the "Partners for Change Award" for making significant progress in reducing waste and eliminating mercury; 24 hospitals with the "Making Medicine Mercury Free Award" for completely eliminating mercury from their facilities; and 24 hospitals with "Partner Recognition" for their work in moving toward the H2E goals.

The goals of H2E are to eliminate the use of mercury in healthcare by 2005; to cut health care waste in half by 2010; and to identify and eliminate persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals in the healthcare system. More than 425 Partners, representing nearly 1,400 health care facilities have joined H2E and are committed to achieving those goals.

The H2E Awards ceremony honoring the Environmental Leadership and Champion award winners was held today at the Hilton Washington. The Partners for Change and the Making Medicine Mercury Free Awards will be given out at the annual meeting of the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) in Philadelphia in September. A complete list of award winners and downloadable photos of the award ceremony are available at Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment

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