Hospitals recognized for slashing energy use

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston has been named the 2016 Energy Champion for demonstrating strong leadership in becoming a more energy-efficient facility. In addition, 29 hospitals earned Energy to Care Awards for saving energy. The hospitals’ efforts were recognized at ASHE’s 53rd Annual Conference and Technical Exhibition in July.

The Energy to Care program, sponsored by Johnson Controls, encourages hospitals across the country to reduce their energy consumption. Facilities that reduce energy by 10 percent or more over the previous year — and previous Energy to Care winners that go on to reduce consumption by an additional 5 percent — are eligible to win an Energy to Care Award.

This year marked the first time an Energy Champion was named. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston, part of Partners HealthCare, implemented a strategic energy master plan, and leadership communicated goals to staff, patients and visitors. Last year, the hospital reduced its energy use by nearly 15 percent.

“This year’s Energy Champion exemplifies the amazing efficiencies that can occur when hospital leaders, facility professionals and everyone involved in the health care environment work together,” says Dale Woodin, CHFM, FASHE, AHA vice president, personal membership groups.

ASHE congratulates the following hospitals for their leadership in reducing energy consumption:

West Clinics, Wauwatosa, Wis.; Mercy Willard (Ohio) Hospital; Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital; Memorial Hermann Sugar Land (Texas) Medical Plaza 1; Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Medical Plaza 1, Houston; Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Medical Plaza 2, Houston; Memorial Hermann Southwest Medical Plaza 2, Houston; Sutter Health Shared Laboratory, Livermore, Calif.; Carolinas HealthCare System Pineville, Charlotte, N.C.; Carolinas HealthCare System Lincoln, Lincolnton, N.C.; Aurora Medical Center Summit (Wis.); Carolinas HealthCare System Huntersville (N.C.) Medical Plaza; Heart Hospital of Lafayette (La.); St. Joseph's Hospital North, Lutz, Fla.; Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago; Avon (Ohio) Pointe MOB; Brunswick (Ohio) FHC; Hillcrest Hospital, Mayfield Heights, Ohio; Medina (Ohio) Hospital; Lorain (Ohio) FHC; Marymount Medical Center, Broadview Heights, Ohio; Sagamore MOB I, Sagamore Hills, Ohio; Solon (Ohio) Contact Center; Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, East Cleveland, Ohio; Twinsburg (Ohio) FHC; Twinsburg (Ohio) MOB; Westlake (Ohio) MOB A; Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton, Pa.; and Westmoreland Regional Hospital, Greensburg, Pa.

Deanna Martin is the membership and communications director at the American Society for Healthcare Engineering.

ASHE INSIGHTS

Important monographs available from ASHE

Following are two recently released monographs that can be accessed by ASHE members as free PDFs at the resource library.

• HCAHPS Scores, the Patient Experience, and the Affordable Care Act from the Facility Perspective. This new ASHE monograph explores how the health care physical environment and facility professionals can improve patient satisfaction scores.
• Risk Assessment of Medical Equipment. A key part of the Joint Commission’s environment of care management plans, risk assessments of medical equipment are covered in this new ASHE monograph. It presents a framework for facilities professionals to follow.

Design guidelines available to industry through ASHE

The 2014 editions of the Facility Guidelines Institute’s Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities and the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities can be purchased at www.ASHEstore.com.