Greening the hospital: It’s no longer optional

Description

Abstract: Many hospitals don’t have a complete understanding of the impact their facilities have on the environment, including the presence of toxins, the dollars spent on harmful products and processes, the health effects on patients and employees, the energy efficiency of hospital activities, and the volumes of waste that they disgorge. This article looks at some of the situations that may be present in a hospital and how to address them. These involve a hospital’s supply chains, waste disposal system, facility design and operations, and food service. A sidebar lists three online sources that can help hospitals improve their “environmental health.”