Dr. Berwick is a champion for the Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) and recognizes environmental sustainability as a powerful means to help achieve the Triple Aim — better care for individuals, better health for populations and per capita cost reduction.
“Hospitals, places of healing, can model healthier behavior,” said Dr. Berwick. “The work of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative reinforces and strengthens the Triple Aim. Leaders that integrate environmentally sustainable operations at their facilities create a culture of nurturing and demonstrate sincere commitment to all people.”
Dr. Berwick extended a call to action to the health care quality improvement experts in the room: be environmental stewards, make sustainability part of quality initiatives and champion sector-wide participation.
The health care sector’s impact on the environment is substantial — from producing an astonishing 5.2 billion tons of waste annually and consuming more than eight percent of the nation’s energy, to using products containing mercury, DEHP and other harmful chemicals.
“Sustainability in health care is both a sound business decision and the right thing to do for improved public health and reduced environmental impact,” said Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm and founder of HHI. “Over 800 organizations have enrolled in HHI. These pioneering health systems are implementing exciting new innovations to help achieve their Triple Aim.”
Learn more about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative at www.healthierhospitals.org and read about HHI’s success in its first year in the 2012 HHI Milestone Report.
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