On August 6, the Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) released its 2013 Milestone Report, which shows that more leading hospitals are adopting innovative sustainability practices to reduce their environmental footprint, lower costs and improve the health of patients and staff.
Launched in April 2012, HHI is a national campaign to promote a more sustainable business model for health care while addressing the health and environmental impacts of the industry.
“Hospitals nationwide are transforming their purchasing practices to avoid toxic chemicals, buy healthier food and beverages and become energy efficient and less wasteful,” said Gary Cohen, president of HCWH and founder of HHI. “This report shows that clear trends have emerged and innovative hospitals are implementing strategies to reduce costs, improve their environmental performance and support broader environmental health goals.”
The report notes continued support for reprocessing:
  • Hospitals continued to move away from disposing of medical devices after one use. More than $45 million was saved as a result of single-use medical device reprocessing, a 33 percent increase in 2012.
To learn more about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, or to download a copy of the full report,