As the Green Movement continues there are a plethora of articles, blogs, newcasts, webcasts, podcasts, and the like that discuss ways for the healthcare industry to partake in this effort. One group, Health Care Without Harm, provides more than just suggestions - it provides resources.
The group, whose goals are outlined below, collects information from a variety of sources and posts it in one central area. These resources include a Sustainable Design Guide from the University of Minnesota, a Green Healthcare Construction Guidance Statement developed by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, and a listing of Green Building Priorities for Healthcare as developed internally to this group, as well as additional information.
The group is charged with seven key goals:
1. Create markets and policies for safer products, materials and chemicals in health care. Promote safer substitutes, including products that avoid mercury, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants.
2. Eliminate incineration of medical waste, minimize the amount and toxicity of all waste generated and promote safer waste treatment practices.
3. Transform the design, construction and operations of health care facilities to minimize environmental impacts and foster healthy, healing environments.
4. Encourage food purchasing systems that support sustainable food production and distribution, and provide healthy food on-site at health care facilities.
5. Secure a safe and healthy workplace for all health care workers.
6. Ensure patients, workers and communities have full access to information about chemicals used in health care and can participate in decisions about exposures to chemicals.7. Promote human rights and environmental justice for communities impacted by the health care sector, while assuring that problems are not displaced from one community or country to another.
As more and more information is available on the topic of 'Green Healthcare' it will be interesting to see the extent to which resources and support tools are provided, and the manner in which they are collected and communicated in an effective manner. In the meantime, Health Care Without Harm provides a starting point and a good reference on this topic.
Comments