(GREEN BAY, Wis.) - Aurora BayCare Medical Center received the Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation's leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care.
The award is presented to hospitals that continuously improve waste reduction and recycling programs. Winning facilities must demonstrate successful recycling programs, that they have reduced regulated medical waste, are on track to eliminate mercury and have developed successful sustainability programs in many areas.
In health care, sustainability means eliminating mercury, reducing and recycling solid waste, cutting down on regulated and chemical waste, lowering energy and water consumption, sourcing food and products sustainably, and establishing green purchasing policies. At Aurora BayCare Medical Center we know that sustainability is essential to helping our patients and communities live well now and for generations to come.
"We are honored to have received this award," said Daniel Meyer, president of Aurora BayCare Medical Center. "We continuously make efforts to be as eco-friendly as possible, and will continue to do so."
Advocate Aurora Health as a system was awarded the System for Change Award, which recognizes health systems that are working cohesively and across hospitals and facilities to set and meet goals related to sustainability, from reducing energy use to increasing recycling to establishing green building practices.
In January, Advocate Aurora Health pledged to power its health care operations with 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.
"Delivering the highest quality care to our patients and communities is deeply intertwined with the health of the environment," said Mary Larsen, director of environmental affairs and sustainability for Advocate Aurora Health. "Reducing our environmental footprint and contributing to a healthier environment is crucial to helping people live well now and for generations to come."
In addition to the System for Change Award, every eligible acute care hospital across the health system earned individual honors for their green efforts.
"As more and more hospitals embed sustainability into their operations, the bar for environmental excellence increases every year," said Gary Cohen, president of Practice Greenhealth. "Advocate Aurora Health demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices."
Aurora BayCare Medical Center is a 167-bed, full-service tertiary care hospital located at 2845 Greenbrier Road on Green Bay's east side. It opened in September 2001 as a joint venture of Aurora Health Care and BayCare Clinic. Aurora BayCare is committed to creating a better way to provide high quality tertiary healthcare, the latest in medical technology and superior service.
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 30 counties throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin's most comprehensive health care provider and the state's largest private employer. Aurora serves more than 1.2 million patients every year via a comprehensive network of facilities, services and providers, including 15 hospitals, more than 150 clinics, more than 70 pharmacies and more than 33,000 Caregivers. As evidenced by more than 300 active clinical trials, Aurora is dedicated to delivering innovations to provide the best possible care today, and to define the best care for tomorrow. Get helpful health and wellness information via the Aurora MyHealth blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter account and our Pinterest account.
BayCare Clinic, baycare.net, is the largest physician-owned specialty-care clinic in northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. BayCare Clinic offers expertise in more than 20 specialties, with more than 100 physicians serving in 16 area communities. BayCare Clinic is a joint partner in Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a 167-bed, full-service hospital. Follow BayCare Clinic on Facebook and Twitter.