As a result of recent government, industry, labor, and community initiatives, hospitals are recognizing the importance of using medical products and work practices that are more environmentally sound, healthy and safe. This has resulted in efforts broadly called "Environmentally Preferable Purchasing" (EPP), which are promoted by government agencies and aimed at assisting hospitals to select less polluting products. For EPP to be effective, criteria for "environmentally-sound" are needed and products that meet these criteria must be identified. The Sustainable Hospitals Project Clearinghouse (SHPC) was established to: 1) identify currently used medical products that present potential environmental or occupational health and safety hazards, 2) develop criteria for defining more environmentally-sound, healthy and safe alternative products, 3) identify specific, alternative medical products that meet all or some of the criteria, and 4) develop an effective way to disseminate the alternative product information to hospital purchasing managers, healthcare workers and hospital occupational safety and health and environmental professionals. These objectives were met through literature reviews and by conducting focus groups and interviews with hospital purchasing, clinical and facilities managers, nurses and other health care workers, occupational health and environmental professionals, and medical product manufacturers and distributors. To disseminate the findings of the SHPC, a technical assistance telephone service was established and the Sustainable Hospitals Website was developed.
Learning Objectives: This presentation will facilitate:
Keywords: Environment, Sustainability
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.