Kaiser Permanente Joins With Top Health Care Groups to Create Healthier Hospital En...(Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. ...),Health

The initiative kicked off Oct. 17 with a meeting in Oakland, Calif., where the group announced plans to work together on high-priority objectives, including:

-- A purchasing task force to prioritize safer and environmentally

sustainable products and supplies, and a sector-wide sustainable

purchasing strategy to drive markets for cleaner energy, safer

products, and innovative green technologies.

-- The development of a new eco-footprint model for health care to engage

the sector in policies to support an agenda that includes avoiding

toxic, hazardous materials -- areas not previously included in

eco-footprint analyses.

-- The establishment of a research collaborative to provide the evidence

and justification to remove obstacles to innovations in the health care

environment.

-- Creation of an open-source community to share best practices in the

construction and operation of energy efficient, non-toxic health care

environments.

The Global Health and Safety Initiative Co-Founders: Allina Hospitals and Clinics, Ascension Health, Bon Secours, Catholic Healthcare West, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Geisinger Health System, Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Henry Ford Health Systems, Hospital Sisters Health Systems, Kaiser Permanente, Presbyterian Healthcare Services - Albuquerque, St. Joseph of Orange, University of California - San Francisco Medical Center, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, The Center for Health Design, Health Care Without Harm, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.

Supporting Non-profit Organizations: American Nurses Association, American Society for Healthcare Engineering, Green Guide for Healthcare, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Joint Commission, U.S. Green Building Council.

Supporting Government Agencies: U.S. Centers for
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