In recognition of their achievement and innovation in health care sustainability, 12 Aspirus Health hospitals recently received Environmental Excellence Awards from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care.
Greenhealth Partner for Change Award
Three Aspirus hospitals received the Greenhealth Partner for Change Award:
- Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital (Portage, Wis.)
- Aspirus Iron River Hospital (Mich.)
- Aspirus Wausau Hospital (Wis.)
The Greenhealth Partner for Change Award recognizes superior performance in environmental sustainability, covering a range of different sustainability programs and activities. Winning facilities must demonstrate they are recycling at least 15 percent of their total waste, have reduced regulated medical waste, and are on track to eliminate mercury.
Partner Recognition Award
Nine Aspirus hospitals received the Partner Recognition Award:
- Aspirus Eagle River Hospital (Wis.)
- Aspirus Ironwood Hospital (Mich.)
- Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital (Laurium, Mich.)
- Aspirus Langlade Hospital (Antigo, Wis.)
- Aspirus Medford Hospital (Wis.)
- Aspirus Merrill Hospital (Wis.)
- Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital (Wis.)
- Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital (Wis.)
- Howard Young Medical Center (Woodruff, Wis.)
This award recognizes facilities that have a commitment to environmental improvements and have achieved progress in several areas, including waste reduction, renewable energy adoption, food purchasing and mercury elimination. They also must have a recycling rate of at least 10 percent for their entire waste stream.
“In a shifting health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “The 12 Aspirus Health hospitals receiving award recognition demonstrate the kind of leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
In health care, sustainability means looking at how operations affect the health and safety of the environment as well as the health of patients, staff, visitors and the local community. Systemwide strategies to address sustainability at Aspirus Health include minimizing and recycling waste, addressing chemicals of concern, lowering energy and water consumption, sourcing food and products sustainably, incorporating sustainable features into buildings and grounds, establishing environmentally preferable purchasing criteria, and more.
At Aspirus Health, we know sustainability is essential to better care for our patients, communities and planet while also making good financial and business sense. We are making great strides toward reducing our impact on the environment, and we are committed to doing even more. We’re grateful to the many Aspirus Health team members, clinicians and leaders – as well as to our community and industry partners – who are committed to this work and bring innovation, ingenuity and adaptability to help us improve our footprint.
Aspirus Health instituted a formal sustainability initiative in 2018 with a goal of reducing organizational emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards are given annually to honor health care’s achievements in sustainability.