Derry, New Hampshire – Parkland Medical Center has been awarded the “Partner for Change” Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading health care community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge. The award is one of the Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor environmental achievements in the health care sector.
The Greenhealth Partner for Change Award recognizes health care facilities that continuously improve and expand upon their mercury elimination, waste reduction, recycling and source reduction programs. At a minimum, facilities applying for this Award must be recycling 15 percent of their total waste, have reduced regulated medical waste, are well along the way to mercury elimination, and have developed other successful pollution prevention programs in many different areas.
Some of the 2014 environmental improvements Parkland Medical Center was recognized for included:
- Leadership commitment and a “Sustainability Team” with four additional members dedicated to this environmental initiative
- A 20 percent reduction in paper usage
- A 35 percent increase in savings in natural gas
- An enhanced food waste recovery system with programs for reducing meat consumption and sugar-sweetened beverages
- A customized HVAC system in the Operating Rooms reducing energy consumption during non-peak hours
“This Partner for Change Award demonstrates Parkland’s dedication to protecting the health of our patients, staff and community” stated Chris Accashian, CEO of Parkland Medical Center. “We are committed to working with Practice Greenhealth to continue navigating the path to sustainability for the future of health care.”
The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards were presented in mid-May in Portland, Oregon and honored the leaders in health care sustainability.