1. B
ecause its decisions affect
nearly every area of op-
eration, supply chain has
major potential for greening
healthcare. But getting a sus-
tainability plan in place can be challenging.
That’s why industry experts developed the
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals.
The Sustainability Roadmap is a national
clearinghouse of comprehensive informa-
tion about healthcare sustainability geared
specifically to healthcare professionals and
backed by industry and community leaders.
Designed to help healthcare organizations
recognizeandactontheneedtopromotesus-
tainabilityintheirpractices,theroadmapisa
freeonlinerepositoryofresources,toolsand
information, and can be a great platform for
sustainabilityeffortsinallhealthcaresettings.
Framing the Issue
With such a significant carbon footprint,
the healthcare industry presents many op-
portunities to green the system and make
a real impact on the health and environ-
ment of local communities. Many supply
chain professionals balk at making policy
and product changes in the face of budget
constraints, but sustainability efforts actu-
ally can make for a healthier bottom line.
Hospitals consume 2.5 times the energy
of other commercial buildings and spend
more than $8.7 billion annually, according
to the EPA Energy Star pro-
gram. The average hospital
provider spends more than
$72 million a year (one-
third of its annual operating
budget) on supply chain
functions alone. Ultimately,
the majority of materials
consumedinhealthcareset-
tings becomes waste, the disposal of which
costs healthcare consumers $10 billion an-
nually.Strategicsourcereductionandwaste
managementaffordsupplychainprofession-
als the ability to realize cost reductions as
high as 40 to 70 percent.
Using the Sustainability Roadmap
Aware that sustainability can be a daunt-
ing cause to champion, the American
Society for Healthcare Engineering
partnered with the Association for
the Healthcare Environment and the
Association for Healthcare Resource &
Materials Management (AHRMM) of the
American Hospital Association to develop
the Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals
as a free, open-source online tool to help
hospitals reduce costs and achieve envi-
ronmental goals at the same time.
Thewebsiteisorganizedsouserscanfind
tools,casestudiesandevidence-basedinfor-
mationrelatedtotheirspecialties,including
facilities, energy, water, waste, supply chain
andchemicals.Informationprovidedbythe
roadmap is product-neutral so users have
access to reliable, unbiased resources. It in-
cludes information on incentives and policy
considerations,andprovidestipsforleading
asustainabilityinitiativerepletewithcheck-
listsandself-assessmentsthathelphospitals
get started or take next steps. The roadmap
also provides the opportunity to participate
in discussions on sustainability topics and
report successes and experiences to others
workingtowardgreenerhealthcaresettings.
“The roadmap is a starting place and a
Strides in
SustainabilityFacilities can follow roadmap for greater
hospital environmental sustainability
Hospitals consume
2.5 TIMES
the energy of other
commercial buildings and
spend more than
$8.7 BILLION
annually.
THINKSTOCK
Continued on page 18
Fourth Quarter 2013 | The Source 15
GREEN TRENDS SOURCEBOOK

2. SOURCEBOOK GREEN TRENDS
tool,” says Amanda Llewellyn, vice presi-
dent of Global Supply Chain for Dimension
Health System and chair of the Roadmap’s
Sustainability Supply Chain Committee.
Opportunities abound to make a positive
impact—well beyond the blue recycling
bin in the corner of the room, Llewellyn
says. Supply chain professionals, in par-
ticular, have a unique opportunity on the
sustainabilityfrontbecausetheyaffectmost
purchasingdecisionsinthehospitalsetting.
How to Get Your Bottom Line
in the Green
Many healthcare professionals are put
off by sustainability efforts before they even
begin because they believe it’s too expen-
sive and difficult to make those kinds of
policy, procedure and purchasing changes.
In reality, many green opportunities are
low- to no-cost in nature and can reap im-
mediate benefits, says Josh Miller, senior
consultant at Mazzetti, the environmental
consulting firm working with associations
on the roadmap.
To get decision-makers on board with a
new sustainability initiative, it’s important
to focus on the big picture—meaning the
triple bottom line of economic, social and
environmental costs. Also, analyze a prod-
uct’stotalcostofownershipratherthanjust
purchasecostwhenmakingadecisionabout
whether to switch to a more sustainable
product or service, recommends Kimberly
Smith, Mazzetti project coordinator.
Theopportunitiestomakestridestoward
sustainability are plentiful, from minor
changes like reprocessing single devices to
majoroverhaulssuchasimplementingmore
environmentallyfriendlybuildingmaterials.
“Many of the opportunities to go green in
the supply chain are similar to what you’ll
find in the home,” Llewellyn says. These
include employing reusable bags and other
products, sourcing locally to reduce trans-
portation, choosing products with minimal
packaging, and using more natural cleaning
supplies and chemicals. Other areas that
can make an environmental impact include
waste management, fluid management in
operating rooms, and bed-changing and
linen policies in patient rooms.
It’s also important to consider the use of
post-consumer products that go beyond the
operating room, such as recycled paper for
mailings and health fair marketing mate-
rials. Many healthcare organizations also
are involving the IT department in their
efforts and going paperless where possible.
This not only reduces paper waste, but also
saves money.
“Everyone these days is under economic
pressures, and a lot of these measures are
related to saving money,” Llewellyn says.
“Reduce waste and you will automati-
cally begin saving money. You can save
30 to 60 percent on reusable devices. Align
sustainability efforts with your core mis-
sion while doing something great for the
environment.”
“HealthTrust supports the efforts of the
American Hospital Association and its sub-
organizationsinthepromotionofsustainable
practices in the healthcare industry,” says
J. Michael Jones, FACHE, director of
Clinical Education and Sustainability
at HealthTrust. Jones serves as a GPO
industry representative to the AHRMM
Sustainability Task Force and has worked
with the team from Mazzetti and AHRMM
onthedevelopmentofsomeoftheroadmap
resources. “We encourage our members to
utilize the information and tools available
from the roadmap as part of their overall
sustainability program implementation.”
For more information on the roadmap,
visit www.sustainabilityroadmap.org. •
“MANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO
GO GREEN IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN ARE
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN THE
HOME. THESE INCLUDE EMPLOYING
REUSABLE BAGS AND OTHER PRODUCTS,
SOURCING LOCALLY TO REDUCE
TRANSPORTATION, CHOOSING PRODUCTS
WITH MINIMAL PACKAGING, AND USING
MORE NATURAL CLEANING SUPPLIES
AND CHEMICALS.” — Amanda Llewellyn
ISTOCK
Continued from page 15
18 The Source | Fourth Quarter 2013