Hospital, clinic win national awards

• Hudson Hospital & Clinics Green Team accept National 2012 Practice Greenhealth Award

Hudson Hospital & Clinics Green Team accepting the National 2012 Practice Greenhealth Award includes, from left Jerry Jennings, manager, Housekeeping; Linda Beall, manager, Executive Offices; Laura Wagner, RN, Executive Director, Practice Greenhealth presenting the award; Jean Weiler, manager, Nutrition Services; Sheila Proehl, Vice President Operations & Chief Financial Officer; and Dana Slade, Sustainability Program Manager, HealthPartners.

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Hudson Hospital & Clinics has been recognized with two environmental awards by Practice Greenhealth, the national membership organization for health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations.

Each year Practice Greenhealth recognizes organizations that demonstrate outstanding efforts in environmental improvement. The awards include: “Partner for Change” Award — one of the organization’s Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor environmental achievements in health care sector. The second award is “Making Medicine Mercury-Free”, which designates that proven policies have been put in place to rid the facility of the harmful chemical mercury, and to prevent it from re-entering the facility.

“These awards demonstrate Hudson Hospital & Clinics’ commitment to their patients and the community to protect public health and preserve the environment,” said Laura Wenger, RN, Executive Director, Practice Greenhealth. “Hudson Hospital & Clinics is truly demonstrating leadership for the future of health care.”

The green initiatives are led by Sheila Proehl, vice president operations and chief financial officer, Hudson Hospital & Clinics and the hospital’s Green Team. They have developed action plans to eliminate mercury, reduce and recycle solid waste, reduce regulated and chemical waste, reduce energy and water consumption, create healing environments, and establish green purchasing policies

“We know that the use of mercury in health care jeopardizes public health and the environment,” said Proehl. “The availability of better alternatives has resulted in a better environment for our patients and staff.”

For more information on Practice Greenhealth, go to www.practicegreenhealth.org.

Tags: business, hudson, health