While the staff at St. Joseph Regional Health Network is committed to excellent patient outcomes, they are equally as passionate about managing the health of Mother Earth. And, Corporate Responsibility Officer Joyce Graham, RN, JD, the de facto leader of St. Joseph’s award-winning conservation efforts, says the hospital’s success is “even more gratifying because it started with employees who were passionate about reducing the hospital’s carbon footprint.”
“This started small, but multiplied much more quickly by having the energy and ideas of a group that is really passionate about this,” explains Graham.
In 2012 and 2013, the medical center received a “Partner for Change Award – with Distinction,” from Practice Greenhealth, a national organization for health care facilities that work toward environmentally responsible operations. Practice Greenhealth recognized St. Joe’s for its achievements in waste reduction and pollution prevention. It is the third year the medical center was honored by Greenhealth.
Since its program started, St. Joseph is now recycling more than 60 percent of its waste, up from 15 percent two years ago. Hospital employees have embraced a program in which they recycle glass, paper, cooking oil, light bulbs, batteries, yard and leaf waste, computers, copper, plastic, aluminum and tin cans, cardboard, blue wrap, printer and fax cartridges, eyeglasses and cell phones. Clearly marked bins in the medical center’s café enable employees to easily sort recyclables and compostable products from their lunch trays. Their efforts kept 250 tons of waste from being placed in landfills just last year.
That, says Anna Gilmore Hall, executive director of Practice Greenhealth, is a real success story. “St. Joseph is a successful model of how health facilities can develop and implement pollution prevention programs to greatly improve the health of their patients, staff and community,” Gilmore Hall says.
Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer John R. Morahan says the medical center staff has worked hard to reduce its environmental impact, and that Greenhealth’s recognition of those efforts confirmed staff members are on the right track.
“I am pleased that such a prestigious national organization affirmed our staff’s efforts,” Morahan says. In 2008, Greenhealth recognized St. Joe’s efforts to eliminate the use of mercury with the Making Medicine Mercury-Free Award. While mercury was traditionally a necessary component of health care operations, it created health and environmental concerns that medical center staff was determined to address.
The medical center formed a Mercury-Free team that created standards exceeding established guidelines. Safer, cost-effective alternatives to mercury were identified and implemented into hospital operations, resulting in an environment that is healthier for patients and staff, Graham explains.
Other efforts to improve the medical center’s environmental health include a presentation by the hospital’s “green team” during every new employee orientation, and a program that provides a reusable, thermal mug for every employee. It’s estimated that the mugs have resulted in the use of nearly 90,000 fewer disposable cups over a three year period. And, a campaign to reduce energy use by turning off lights, computers, printers and other equipment when not in use resulted in a cost savings of nearly $25,000 during the first six months, saving more than 510,000 kilowatt hours.
This past year, St. Joseph started working with the Rodale Institute, Kutztown, to compost food waste. “There is always something new to try,” says Graham.
