Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care, has awarded Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) the the Environmental Excellence Award for exemplary environmental stewardship.
Hospitals earn this recognition by demonstrating a commitment to address sustainability by looking at how operations affect the health and safety of the environment as well as the health of patients, staff, visitors and local community. Strategies to address sustainability include minimizing and recycling waste, addressing chemicals of concern, lowering energy and water consumption, sourcing food and products sustainably, and establishing environmentally preferable purchasing criteria.
“At Providence Alaska Medical Center, we know environmental sustainability is essential to provide better care for our patients, our communities, and our planet,” said Ella Goss, MSN, RN, chief executive at PAMC. “In recent years, we have made great strides toward reducing our impact on the environment, and we are committed to doing even more.”
In 2020, PAMC was awarded the Greenhealth Partner for Change Award and Greening the Operating Room Recognition, which honors facilities that have made substantial progress in reducing the impact of the surgical environment.
“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. “Providence Alaska Medical Center demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation, and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”