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Healthcare Associations

American Hospital Association (AHA): Exit ENERGY STAR

The American Hospital Association’s vision is of a society of healthy communities where all individuals reach their highest potential for health. To carry out this vision, the AHA seeks to advance the health of individuals and communities by providing education to healthcare leaders and serving as a source of information on healthcare issues and trends, such as the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA), etc.

American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE): Exit ENERGY STAR

The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) is dedicated to optimizing the healthcare physical environment. For more than 50 years, ASHE of the AHA has been the advocate and resource for continuous improvement in healthcare engineering and facilities management. ASHE addresses a broad spectrum of issues relating to the healthcare industry and the facilities management profession.

ASHE has launched a two-year campaign, the Energy Efficiency Commitment (E2C) initiative, to educate its members about the environmental and economic benefits of pursuing energy efficiency improvements in healthcare facilities. To learn more, visit ASHE2C Exit ENERGY STAR.

EnviRN: Exit ENERGY STAR

EnviRN is dedicated to supporting nursing professionals seeking accurate, timely and credible scientific information on environmental health and nursing. This interactive resource seeks to foster the development of a “virtual nursing village” for the sharing of teaching strategies, practice guidance and consensus on future research needs for nursing and environmental health. The ultimate goal is to prevent environmental disease by increasing the numbers of nursing professionals who can recognize environmental etiologies and risk factors of disease, promote health through risk reduction and control strategies and empower individuals, families and communities by through partnering, advocacy and education.

Healthcare Without Harm: Exit ENERGY STAR

Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, and other community groups working to improve the ecological stability of the healthcare industry. The Web site includes information on mercury, PVC, and incineration and contains a searchable document library.

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment: Exit ENERGY STAR

A voluntary partnership between the American Hospitals Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency whose mission is to eliminate mercury waste in hospitals; reduce overall waste in hospitals, and to identify additional substances to target for waste reduction. The Web site includes an environmentally preferable purchasing guide and other associated documents.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) :Exit ENERGY STAR

The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 17,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. The Web site provides information about healthcare organizations, the standards used in the accreditation process, how the process works, and other publication and references for administrators and consumers.

Sustainable Hospital Project :Exit ENERGY STAR

The Sustainable Hospitals Project (SHP) provides technical support to the healthcare industry in the selection of products and work practices that eliminate or reduce occupational and environmental hazards, maintain quality patient care, and contain costs. SHP is a project of The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production. The Center draws on the resources and expertise of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, including the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) and the Department of Work Environment.