CHICAGO – The American Hospital Association (AHA) has launched a revamped website that provides free, practical tools to help health care facilities reduce their environmental footprints. The Sustainability Roadmap—www.sustainabilityroadmap.org—shows hospitals how to implement real-world sustainability projects, enhance existing efforts, and share their environmental successes with other facilities.
“Hospitals are committed to creating healthy communities, and part of that mission involves being good environmental stewards,” said Rich Umbdenstock, AHA president and CEO. “The expanded Sustainability Roadmap website provides easy-to-use resources that can help hospitals achieve their sustainability goals and provide economic, health, and environmental benefits. Our members can contribute resources and share experiences to build on the progress we have already made.”
Three AHA personal membership groups—the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE), and the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM)—have collaborated to produce this expanded set of resources developed by health care professionals for health care professionals
The Sustainability Roadmap website features search functions, how-to guides, and other resources. It also provides users the opportunity to share resources and tools, letting other facilities know what’s working well and what’s not. This sharing of experiences can help focus sustainability efforts on efficient and cost effective projects. Users can also contribute suggestions, sample documents, and case studies to add to the library of practical information on the site.
The Sustainability Roadmap is useful for hospital managers, hospital staff, and those who design health care facilities. It also provides health care leaders with strategic planning resources to help get sustainability efforts on the radar of complex health care organizations.
The Sustainability Roadmap will continue to grow as more information is developed by users and ASHE, AHE, and AHRMM. The site was developed by the three personal membership groups in conjunction with San Francisco-based consulting firm Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch.
About AHA
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals who are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its membership, which includes more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems, and other health care organizations, and 38,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.
About ASHE
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) is a personal membership group of the American Hospital Association. More than 11,000 members rely on ASHE as a key source of professional development, industry information, and advocacy, including representation on issues that affect their work in the physical health care environment. www.ashe.org
About AHE
The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) represents, defines, and advances the professionals responsible for care of the patient environment to ensure quality patient outcomes and healthy communities. A professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, AHE serves more than 2,000 members. AHE provides education, networking and recognition for personal and professional achievements as well as collaboration with the AHA on public policy and advocacy issues related to the healthcare environment. www.ahe.org
About AHRMM
The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) is the leading national association for executives in the healthcare resource and supply chain profession. A professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, AHRMM serves more than 4,200 active members. Founded in 1951, AHRMM prepares its members to contribute to the field and advance the profession through networking, education, recognition, and advocacy. www.ahrmm.org