Dubbed Greenhealth Exchange, the for-profit group boasts an estimated $4 billion in purchasing power, more than 50 hospitals and $21.2 billion in annual revenue. While executives have not yet disclosed contracted suppliers, the co-op’s network of suppliers will be carefully researched and vetted based on carbon emissions reduced, energy and water saved, safer chemicals used and other provider requirements.

While many GPO’s have green contracts or sections, it can be difficult to find competitively priced green products and services among the millions of non-sustainable items. For the informed buyer, Greenhealth Exchange will offer comparisons on product price, sustainability scale and benefits to the environment.

“If every vendor has their idea of what’s green, you have to sort through that. People are interested in being reliable in their environmental purchases, but don’t have the infrastructure,” said Dr. Jeff Thompson, CEO emeritus of Gundersen Health System in an interview with Modern Healthcare.

Industry health care leader Kaiser Permanente provided funds to Practice Greenhealth to explore the idea of the exchange. While they are not participating in the green co-op at this time, Kaiser is dedicated to sustainable practices and worked with Health Care Without Harm to become one of the first health care systems to phase out plastic supplies with PVCs and other toxins.

To purchase through Greenhealth Exchange’s catalog, health care systems will pay an annual fee (yet to be determined) in order to be an Associate member. For organizations wanting to be more hands-on in deciding the green requirements, they and their affiliates can become a Member by paying a one-time fee of $150,000.
 

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In the report, Practice Greenhealth describes how industry leaders are reducing their facilities’ environmental footprints, achieving financial savings and changing their organizational culture as they address environmental issues in areas such as energy, waste management, safer chemicals, water reduction, healthy food, green buildings and climate impact, according to a statement by the organization.

The report also demonstrates how leading hospitals are developing organizational leadership and effective purchasing strategies for environmentally preferred products to affect even greater change. These leading hospitals are embedding sustainability into their operations through the decisions, actions and results described in the report, according to a statement.

The Benchmark Report presents environmental accomplishments and financial savings to help guide and encourage hospitals to improve sustainability efforts in their facilities. The report outlines how — through sustainable practices — participating hospitals trimmed costs by approximately $76 million, cut both general and medical waste, increased the use of green cleaning products, cut the use of potentially harmful chemicals and saved on energy costs.

In addition to these metrics, the report includes sustainability trends and emerging areas of focus, according to the organization. For example, it examines which plastics are most likely to be recycled in the operating room and which reusable items are most likely to be purchased.

“Our Sustainability Benchmark Report inspires our members by demonstrating what’s possible in health care sustainability,” said Jeffrey Brown, executive director of Practice Greenhealth, in a statement. “The concepts, approaches and data help them identify their opportunities for improvement and establish their sustainability priorities and goals for the coming years.

“By showing what these 220 hospitals have accomplished, the report provides an excellent indication of the environmental and financial benefits that can be realized across the full sector of over 5,500 hospitals across the country,” Brown continued.

Practice Greenhealth supports the environmental, human health and financial achievements through sustainability programs offered to 1,300 member hospitals. The organization’s primary goals are to prevent and reduce waste in the health care sector; achieve carbon neutrality in health care; reduce energy and water usage; build, renovate and purchase responsibly; foster respectful work environments; engage the community on environmental sustainability in design, construction and operations; lead the way in responsible buildings and operations; increase recycling programs; and phase out hazardous substances and toxic chemicals.

In May, Practice Greenhealth honored 25 hospitals with its Environmental Excellence Award, the organization’s highest honor. Winners included Bon Secours Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y.; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H.; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York; and Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas in Austin, Texas.

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