News  Release  
 
FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE     Contact:          Mary  E.  Lisi  
March  4,  2010   888-­‐379-­‐6664  
    mlisi@practicegreenhealth.org  

TEL 888.688.3332 • FAX 866.379.8705 • WWW.PRACTICEGREENHEALTH.ORG

 
Practice  Greenhealth  Launches  Initiative  for  Greening  the  OR    

12355 SUNRISE VALLEY DRIVE, SUITE 680 • RESTON, VA 20191 USA

 
(Reston,  V A)    On  April  27,  2010,  in  Scottsdale,  AZ,  Practice  Greenhealth  will  convene  a  Symposium  for  
Greening  the  OR,  the  first  p hase  of  an  initiative  to  identify  strategies  to  reduce  the  environmental  
footprint  of  the  operating  room,  identify  cost  savings,  and  improve  or  maintain  worker  and  patient  
safety.      
 
The  OR  is  the  largest  waste  generating  d epartment  in  the  hospital,  as  well  as  a  huge  cost-­‐center  for  
materials,  d evices  and  supplies.  The  Symposium  is  b eing  convened  to  bring  together  thought  leaders  
from  across  the  h ealthcare  sector,  including  representatives  of  major  hospital  s ystems  and  individual  
hospitals,  professional  organizations,  and  government  agencies.  The  objective  is  to  identify  and  
confirm  opportunities  for  greening  the  operating  room;  to  gather  information  on  implementation  
strategies,  barriers  and  suggested  s trategies  for  overcoming  these;  to  develop  rating  s ystems  that  will  
help  leadership  with  d ecision  making  regarding  investment  and  ROI,    environmental  performance  
improvement  outcomes,  worker  h ealth  and  safety  b enefits,  and  the  level  of  staff  participation  
required  for  success.    
 
Among  the  subject  areas  that  will  be  considered  at  the  Symposium  are:  
• Single  Use  Device  Reprocessing  
• Reusable  Gowns  and  Surgical  Drapes  
• OR  Kit  Formulation  
• Waste  Anesthetic  Gas  Scavenging  Systems  
• Fluid  Waste  Management  Systems  
• Energy  Use/Lighting  &  Thermal  Comfort  
• RMW  Minimization/Segregation  
• Substitution  of  Reusable  Hard  Cases  for  Blue  Sterile  Wrap  
• Recycling  of  Medical  Plastics  
• Laser  Safety/  S moke  Evacuation  
• Green  Cleaning/Proper  Disinfection  in  a  Surgical  S etting  
 
The  outcome  of  the  Symposium  will  b e  the  identification  of  viable  strategies,  identification  of  case  
studies  at  various  h ealthcare  institutions,  identification  of  research  n eeded  to  validate  greening  and  
efficacy  claims,  and  a greement  by  stakeholders  to  participate  in  research  and  the  drafting  of  Best  
Practices  Guidance  Documents.    
 
"As  the  nation’s  leading  healthcare  membership  organization  driving  the  implementation  of    
environmentally  responsible  practices,  we  are  pleased  to  b e  launching  this  initiative  for  Greening  the  
OR,  and  improving  the  environmental  impact  of  h ealthcare,”  stated  Robert  Jarboe,  executive  director  
of  Practice  Greenhealth.    “This  represents  a  s ignificant  commitment  on  the  part  of  the  stakeholders  
toward  driving  healthcare  to  a  sustainable  future.”  
 
The  Greening  the  OR  S ymposium  is  b eing  co-­‐sponsored  by  Ascent  Healthcare  Solutions,  HCA,  and    
SRI  Surgical.      
 
NEWS  RELEASE  
Practice  Greenhealth  Launches  Initiative  f or  Greening  the  OR…  
March  4,  2010  
page  two  
 
 
About  Ascent  Healthcare  Solutions:  
Ascent  Healthcare  Solutions  is  the  leading  provider  of  reprocessing  (cleaning,  testing/verifying,  
packaging  and  sterilizing)  and  remanufacturing  (disassembling,  repairing  and  manufacturing)  s ervices  
for  medical  d evices  as  well  as  comprehensive  recycling  and  redistribution  initiatives.  Ascent’s  
programs  target  inefficient  practices  and  reclaim  and  redirect  consumable  and  financial  resources  in  
order  to  promote  h ealthy  and  responsible  h ospitals.  Ascent  has  b een  recognized  as  a  “Champion  for  
Change”  by  Practice  Greenhealth  for  the  dramatic  environmental  b enefits  its  programs  provide.  
Ascent  counts  as  it  customers  most  of  the  “Honor  Roll”  hospitals  as  recognized  by  U.S.  News  &  World  
Report.  Ascent  has  agreements  with  a ll  leading  national  group  purchasing  organizations  as  well  as  
numerous  nationally  recognized  hospital  integrated  d elivery  networks.  Ascent  is  a  d ivision  of  S tryker  
Corporation.  For  more  information  about  Ascent  Healthcare  Solutions,  visit  www.ascenths.com.    
 
About  HCA:  
HCA  is  the  nation's  leading  provider  of  h ealthcare  s ervices,  composed  of  locally  managed  facilities  that  
include  163  hospitals  and  105  freestanding  surgery  centers  in  20  s tates  and  England.  At  its  founding  in  
1968,  Nashville-­‐based  HCA  was  one  of  the  nation's  first  hospital  companies.    
 
About  SRI  Surgical:  
SRI  Surgical  is  a  supplier  of  reusable  surgical  products  s pecifically  d esigned  for  the  OR.      Daily  d elivery,  
retrieval,  and  reprocessing  of  reusable  surgical  linens  a nd  instruments  is  our  core  business.    Since  
1991,  our  d esign  for  reprocessing  of  surgical  linen  has  been  based  on  an  environmentally  friendly  
architecture  that  ensured  a  sustainable  outcome  over  the  years.    Each  of  SRI’s  reprocessing  facilities  
adhere  to  the  standards  of  an  FDA  regulated  medical  d evice  manufacturing  environment.    Products  
are  100%  inspected,  repaired  when  n ecessary,  and  sterilized  properly.      SRI  Surgical  is  proud  to  be  a  
partner  in  sustainability  with  the  h ealthcare  industry.  
 
About  Practice  G reenhealth:  
Practice  Greenhealth  provides  practical  guidance,  training,  consultation,  and  business  s olutions  to  
help  its  members  in  their  efforts  to  implement  environmentally  responsible  practices.  More  than  
1,000  h ealth  care  institutions  have  joined  Practice  Greenhealth,  demonstrating  the  growing  
commitment  among  the  h ealth  community  to  reduce  its  environmental  impact.  Practice  Greenhealth  
offers  a  variety  of  programs  to  its  members,  including  the  Healthcare  Clean  Energy  Exchange,  
environmental  purchasing,  sustainable  operations,  continuing  education,  webinars,  networking  
opportunities,  communications,  and  annual  a wards  recognizing  the  achievements  of  member  
institutions.  
 
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