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Thanks to support from the Baltimore-based Blaustein Foundation, the Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) initiative is staffing up to take the program to the next level. This question and answer session with Richard Zdanis, the new Maryland H2E Coordinator explains what the program offers and where it is headed.
Q. Can you tell us about Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
and its goals?
A. Hospitals for a Healthy Environment was launched in 1998 through an agreement signed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Hospital Association. The goals of the program are to eliminate mercury (a neurotoxin found in some medical equipment and lab solutions) from the healthcare setting, reduce healthcare sector waste streams and minimize the use and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
The program has been picked up at the state level throughout the country. In Maryland, it was the Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Hospital Association, Maryland Nurses Association, and University of Maryland School of Nursing that came together in 2003 to talk about the need to motivate and provide support for environmental efforts at healthcare facilities.
Q. What will be the focus of the Maryland H2E program?
A. Right now we are focusing on recruiting new members while meeting the needs of current members. We have polled members in Maryland and asked them to identify their top areas of interest. Workgroups formed for these interest areas are meeting monthly on hazardous waste management, regulated medical waste management, and integrated pest management. The meetings take place at the Maryland Hospital Association in Elkridge, and the groups will grow and change as member needs change.
Q. Which facilities in Maryland have joined H2E so far?
A. As of February 10, we have 28 members in Maryland. They are American Radiology Services, Calvert Memorial Hospital, Chester River Hospital Center, Civista Medical Center, Deborah Morris & Associates, Doctor’s Community Hospital, Dorchester General Hospital, Franklin Square Hospital Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Harbor Hospital, HealthSouth Surgery Center at Easton, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base, Memorial Hospital at Easton, Mercy Medical Center, Montgomery General Hospital, National Naval Medical Center, NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, Patient First (five locations), St. Joseph Medical Center, Union Memorial Hospital, University of Maryland Medical System, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Anne Arundel Medical Center, and Washington Adventist Hospital.
Q. What do hospitals get out of joining Maryland H2E?
A. The national H2E program offers tremendous resources, education and support on environmental best management practices through listservs (email dialogue among members), monthly teleconferences, newsletters and workshops. The Maryland H2E program personalizes these resources by meeting with hospitals to clarify their facility’s goals. When we know where you would like to reduce costs, find safer alternatives to products you use, or streamline your practices, we can provide you services. Whether it is a case study, vendor information, sample contract language, employee training information, we help you meet those goals. We can also assist with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Environment of Care standards. Why reinvent the wheel when we can show you model systems adopted by other healthcare systems? H2E also offers recognition to partners in the form of its annual awards program. Past Maryland winners of the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award are the National Naval Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, and Dorchester General Hospital.
Q. How does a hospital sign up as an H2E Partner and what does
it mean?
A. Hospitals can sign up on line at www.h2e-online.org/ H2E Partners commit to the program goals and to setting annual goals and action plans. Progress and accomplishments are reported to H2E on an annual basis using the Annual Facility Assessment Summary and Goals Form.
Q. Finally, are there any upcoming events of interest to
hospitals?
A. CleanMed, the big national environmental conference for healthcare facilities is coming up April 18-20, in Seattle, WA. H2E will be presenting its awards at the conference and we hope to see some Maryland hospitals at the podium. Locally, we have teleconferences every Friday at 1 p.m. and focus groups on the first Tuesday of every month. These are at the Maryland Hospital Association on integrated pest management, regulated medical waste segregation and hazardous waste management. All hospitals are welcome to attend these meetings and should contact me to have their name included on the e-mail distribution list.
For further information on Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, please contact Richard Zdanis at 410-706-2352 or
rzdan001@son.umaryland.edu, University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 West Lombard Street, Room 642, Baltimore, MD 21201.
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