Vidant Chowan Hospital Recognized with National Partner for Change Award

May 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Vidant Chowan Hospital RECOGNIZED WITH NATIONAL PARTNER FOR CHANGE AWARD  

“Formally Acknowledged for Pollution Prevention Program”

(Edenton, NC) Vidant Chowan Hospital  was awarded the 2013 “Partner for Change” and the “Making Medicine Mercury Free” Awards by Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading health care membership community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care. The Award is one of the organization’s Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor outstanding environmental achievements in the health care sector.

The 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.

Lizbeth White, environmental services manager, leads the Vidant Chowan Green Council and attended the 10th Annual CleanMed conference and awards ceremony in Boston, MA with team member Wanda Lilley, registered nurse at Vidant Bertie Hospital.  “Our staff has really gotten excited about reducing hospital waste. From recycling to replacing standard light bulbs with LED light bulbs, we’re always looking for new ways to be more environmentally-friendly.”

“This award proves that Vidant Chowan   is committed to eliminating mercury, reducing waste, recycling and preventing pollution, among other environmentally preferable practices,” said Laura Wenger, RN, Executive Director, Practice Greenhealth. “Practice Greenhealth is pleased to recognize them for these efforts.”

Vidant Chowan’s award application was strengthened by participation in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, which compiles a national database that measures healthcare’s impact on the environment and identifies steps the industry can take to improve the sustainability of healthcare. Efforts included maintaining an Energy Star portfolio to track energy use.    

Vidant Chowan has also joined 1,200 hospitals participating in Practice Greenhealth’s Earth Day Leadership program. The year-long program is designed specifically for the health care community to help them continue to support their sustainability programs and raise awareness in the communities they serve through monthly education.  

As evidenced in a recent Health Care Research Collaborative study, “Can Sustainable Hospitals Help Bend the Health Care Cost Curve?” introducing environmental sustainability measures in hospitals not only results in significant savings, it won’t increase operating costs.  The implications are clear — given the return on investment, all hospitals should adopt and expand their sustainability programs.  

“We take pride in developing programs to improve the health of our patients, staff and community,” said Matt Gitzinger, Director of Support Services at Vidant Chowan. We look forward to working with Practice Greenhealth to further our sustainability efforts and lessen our impact on the environment.”

The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards were presented in Boston, MA, at the 10th Annual CleanMed, the premier national environmental conference for leaders in health care sustainability.

About Vidant Health

Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina

University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com.

About Practice Greenhealth

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the health care community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. For more information on Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.