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Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Healthcare Newsletter - February 12, 2009

Disclaimer: Some of the events, articles, and websites listed in this e-mail are non-EPA sponsored. EPA is listing them for your information only and is not responsible for the content of the websites/articles or the information distributed at a non-EPA listed event. EPA does not endorse any commercial product, service, or enterprise, and the policy views of any included organization do not necessarily reflect EPA's views.

On this page

  1. New Energy Efficiency Standards Take Effect
  2. CleanMed Call for Posters deadline extended to February 27, 2009
  3. 20th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium
  4. Continuing Medical Education—Toxin Risks Healthcare Providers Should Know at Home and Work
  5. REMINDER: Comment on DEA Proposal Regarding Disposal of Controlled Substances
  6. Comment Period Extended for Universal Waste Rule
  7. New EPA Video - Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In
  8. Presentations Available Online
  9. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
  10. Green Guide for Health Care Food Credit - Details
  11. Green Guide for Health Care Food Credits - Overview
  12. "Hospitals Will Take Meat Off Menus in Bid to Cut Carbon" by Juliette Jowit, The Guardian, January 26, 2009
  13. Cleaning Products Up Nurses' Asthma Risk
  14. Retail Medical Clinics Poised to Play Increasingly Important Role in Primary Care
  15. Green Pharmacy
  16. Continuing Medical Education-Toxin Risks Healthcare Providers Should Know at Home and Work
  17. Clean Med at Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL. May 18-20, 2009
  18. FoodMed, Detroit, MI. June 30-July 1, 2009
  19. The HEALTHCARE DESIGN Webinar Series 2009

Other Issues of This Newsletter | Contact for This Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS and OPPORTUNITIES

1. New Energy Efficiency Standards Take Effect

From Healthcare Design Magazine, Jan. 6, 2009. "States must now certify that their building codes meet the requirements in ASHRAE/IESNA's 2004 energy efficiency standard, under a ruling issued on December 30 by the US Department of Energy that finds the standard saves more energy than an earlier version. ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 has been established by the DOE as the commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes under the federal Energy Policy Act." Article Exit EPA Disclaimer.

2. CleanMed Call for Posters deadline extended to February 27, 2009

The actual poster is not due until CleanMed Exit EPA Disclaimer itself. Once your proposal is accepted, then you can develop the actual poster.

3. 20th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium

March 31-April 2 at Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA. Theme is Sustainability: the Nexus of Economic Prosperity and Environmental Stewardship. Program and schedule Exit EPA Disclaimer. Virginia’s premier gathering of environmental professionals, decision makers, concerned citizens, and educators is shaping up as another excellent event to showcase leading ideas and ongoing progress in facing the region’s environmental challenges. Topics include: State and Federal Regulatory Updates; Reuse of Municipal Wastewater and Storm Water; Getting to Zero Waste: It Pays!; Adaptation to Climate Change: Infrastructure , Financial, Ecosystems, and Human Exposure; Growing Green Jobs in Virginia; and much more. Full program information Exit EPA Disclaimer. Nominate an outstanding Virginian to win the 2009 Capt. RA Erchul Environmental Leadership Award! Sponsors and Hosts: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Environmental Endowment, Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Military Institute Research Laboratories, Inc.

4. Continuing Medical Education—Toxin Risks Healthcare Providers Should Know at Home and Work

April 7, 2009 at the Henry Hood Center for Health Research, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. Topics include: Pesticides and Children’s Health in the Rural Environment; Update on Lead Toxicity Issues for Infants, Children, and Adults; Summary of the Nurses Hazardous Exposure Survey; Safer Choices Campaign; Environmental Factors and Risk of Breast Cancer; Call to Action—Mobilizing Healthcare Providers in Central Pennsylvania. Speakers include Brenda Afzal and Kathryn Hall, both of the University of Maryland School of Nursing; Pat McLaine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Jerome Paulson, Child Health Advocacy Institute; and Susan Krum, Renee Smith, Adele Spegman, and Azadeh Stark, all of Geisinger Health System. More information or to register Exit EPA Disclaimer.

5. REMINDER: Comment on DEA Proposal Regarding Disposal of Controlled Substances

Drug Enforcement Administration PROPOSED RULES Disposal of Controlled Substances by Persons Not Registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration , 3480-3487 [E9-1056]

SUMMARY: In response to concerns raised by individuals, public and private organizations, the healthcare industry, and the law enforcement community, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is soliciting information on the disposal of controlled substances dispensed to individual patients, also defined as ultimate users, as well as long term care facilities. DEA is seeking options for the safe and responsible disposal of dispensed controlled substances in a manner consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations. Deadline for Comments (PDF) (8 pp, 75K, About PDF) is March 23, 2009.

6. Comment Period Extended for Universal Waste Rule

EPA seeks public comment on a proposal to add hazardous pharmaceutical waste to the Universal Waste Rule under RCRA. The proposal is in the Federal Register of December 2, 2008. Comments are now due by March 4, 2009. Information on the proposed rule. Federal Register (PDF) (1 pg, 43K, About PDF).

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

7. New EPA Video - Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Botanic Garden produced this 9-minute video that highlights green techniques such as rain gardens, green roofs, and rain barrels to help manage stormwater runoff. The film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the quality of downstream receiving waters. The goal is to mimic the natural way water moves through an area before development by using design techniques that infiltrate, evaporate, and reuse runoff close to its source. The techniques are innovative practices that manage urban stormwater runoff at its source and are very effective at reducing the volume of stormwater runoff and capturing harmful pollutants. Using vegetated areas that capture runoff also improves air quality, mitigates the effects of urban heat islands, and reduces a community’s overall carbon footprint. View the video.

8. Presentations Available Online

Whether you attended or missed the Sustainable Healthcare: Forging a Healthier Future on October 3, 2008, you may want to review several of the presentations. These are now available for downloading as pdfs online Exit EPA Disclaimer. View the scrolling pictures and click on the Green Hospitals Pilot. Or click on Programs. The program was coordinated and facilitated by Women's Health and Environmental Network (WHEN) in partnership with the PA DEP and HCIF with a grant from the US EPA. Thanks also to ASHES for providing the food and CHOP for hosting. DVGBC Healthcare Circle provided assistance with onsite registration.

9. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

Food Technical Brief Green Guide for Health Care Food Service (PDF) (12 pp, 234K, About PDF) Exit EPA Disclaimer, Credits 1-7.

10. Green Guide for Health Care Food Credits

Details (PDF) (42 pp, 384K, About PDF) Exit EPA Disclaimer.

11. Green Guide for Health Care Food Credits

Overview (PDF) (5 pp, 131K, About PDF) Exit EPA Disclaimer.

IN THE NEWS

12. “Hospitals Will Take Meat Off Menus in Bid to Cut Carbon” by Juliette Jowit, The Guardian, January 26, 2009

The National Health Service in Great Britain will offer patients meals with no meat as part of a strategy the NHS has released to cut carbon emissions in healthcare. The plan addresses all aspects of patients’ care, including building design, transport, waste, food, water, and energy use. Dr. David Pencheon, director of the NHS sustainable development unit, said: “This is not just about doing things differently, because efficiency is not going to get us to big cuts. What will healthcare look like in 2030-2040 in a very low carbon society? It will not look anything like it looks now.” Some specific key recommendations for the NHS include: improving housekeeping (e.g., switching off computers and monitors overnight); using more local suppliers, reducing the carbon emissions from transport; reducing staff travel by car, with greater use of public transport and bicycles; reducing energy use in NHS buildings; reducing waste; increasing energy provided from renewable resources; and increasing natural, rather than artificial, lighting. Full strategy Exit EPA Disclaimer.

13. Cleaning Products Up Nurses' Asthma Risk

Disinfectants and other chemicals boost their odds of respiratory trouble, study finds TUESDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News). Frequent exposure to hospital cleaning products and disinfectants greatly increases nurses' risk of asthma, according to a U.S. study that included 3,650 Texan health care professionals, including 941 nurses. The researchers found that nurses regularly exposed to cleaning products and disinfectants were 72 percent more likely than other health care colleagues to report being diagnosed with asthma since starting their job, and 57 percent more likely to report symptoms similar to asthma. Nurses who regularly cleaned medical instruments were 67 percent more likely to have newly diagnosed asthma, and those working with solvents and glues used in patient care were 51 percent more likely to report symptoms similar to asthma. Nurses who used powdered latex gloves before the year 2000 were 6 percent more likely to have newly diagnosed asthma. The findings were published online in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The researchers noted that products used by nurses in the study included a number known to be potentially strong respiratory irritants or sensitizers. These include: topical cleansers and antiseptics used for cleaning patients' skin; glutaraldehyde for cold sterilization of medical instruments; and all-purpose general cleaning products, such as bleach. "Substituting cleaning agents with environmentally friendly 'green chemicals' and using appropriate personal care protection could help minimize occupational exposures in this professional group," wrote Ahmed Arif, of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and colleagues. View the article.

14. Retail Medical Clinics Poised to Play Increasingly Important Role in Primary Care

That's the title of an article in AIS Health Business Daily of February 5, 2009 (reprinted from Inside Consumer-Directed Care). Article written by Steve Davis, Managing Editor. The article notes that while there was a slowdown in clinic growth rates in 2008, it is likely that hospitals will move into retail clinic space and broaden their traditional scope of services in 2009. One specific example is "Walgreen's move to integrate its drugstores, retail clinics, and employer work-site clinics into what could become a primary care delivery powerhouse." The article further notes that private investors are leaving the field, so major drugstore chains and hospitals are likely beneficiaries as they operate clinics. Additionally, Wal-Mart is partnering with regional hospitals, health systems, and physician groups to run its clinics. An expected physician shortage will also play into hospitals' reconfiguring how they provide healthcare, and this clinic model could play prominently in the primary care field. Read the article Exit EPA Disclaimer.

15. Green Pharmacy

Green Pharmacy Exit EPA Disclaimer, a program of the Teleosis Institute, is featured in an article in ACP Internist this month. Green Pharmacy helps hospitals set up programs to take back patient prescription drugs and dispose of them as medical waste.

UPCOMING EVENTS

16. Continuing Medical Education—Toxin Risks Healthcare Providers Should Know at Home and Work

April 7, 2009 at the Henry Hood Center for Health Research, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. Topics include: Pesticides and Children’s Health in the Rural Environment; Update on Lead Toxicity Issues for Infants, Children, and Adults; Summary of the Nurses Hazardous Exposure Survey; Safer Choices Campaign; Environmental Factors and Risk of Breast Cancer; Call to Action—Mobilizing Healthcare Providers in Central Pennsylvania. Speakers include Brenda Afzal and Kathryn Hall, both of the University of Maryland School of Nursing; Pat McLaine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Jerome Paulson, Child Health Advocacy Institute; and Susan Krum, Renee Smith, Adele Spegman, and Azadeh Stark, all of Geisinger Health System. More information or to register Exit EPA Disclaimer.

17. Clean Med at Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL. May 18-20, 2009

Watch for details Exit EPA Disclaimer.

18. FoodMed, Detroit, MI. June 30-July 1, 2009

Watch for details Exit EPA Disclaimer.

19. The HEALTHCARE DESIGN Webinar Series 2009

The series is comprised of 14 programs that bring you top experts in the field of healthcare design discussing topics you can put to use right away. There is a cost to participate. More information Exit EPA Disclaimer. Here is the list of programs in the HEALTHCARE DESIGN Webinar Series 2009:

  1. Are You REALLY Ready to Launch? The Importance of Conducting a Project Launch Readiness Assessment, Thursday, February 05, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  2. The Icons: Lessons Learned from Ground-Breaking Hospitals, Thursday, February 26, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  3. Trends in Health Care IT: Digital Clinical Systems and the Impact on Data Center Management Thursday, March 05, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  4. Older Healthcare Buildings - Should They Be Reused?, Thursday, March 26, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  5. Bringing Lean to Healthcare Design, Thursday, April 2, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  6. Overview of Research, Thursday, April 16, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  7. Academic Medical Center Operations and Logistics: Implementing Robotics Systems in modern healthcare, Thursday, May 07, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  8. Evaluating the First LEED® Gold Hospital, Thursday, June 25, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  9. Tight Site, Tight Budget, Tight Schedule – the Kingston General Hospital Redevelopment Project, Thursday, July 23, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  10. Reinventing Patient-Centered Environments for Mental Heath in Dubai, Thursday, August 13, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  11. Global Health and Safety Initiative, Thursday, September 24, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  12. OR Global Point of Care Technology for the Future Case Study: Neurosurgical Brain Suite – Cincinnati, OH, Thursday, October 08, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  13. Future Predictions for Point of Care Delivery Systems, Thursday, October 22, 2009, 1:00 PM ET
  14. Safe by Design: Applications, Outcomes and Does it Work?, Thursday, November 12, 2009, 1:00 PM ET

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