BH Wins National Awards for Environmental Achievements

Anne Smith, representing Barnesville Hospital at the Summit, received the awards from (left to right) Anna Gilmore-Hall, Chair, H2E Board of Directors and Executive Director, Health Care Without Harm; Laura Brannen, Executive Director H2E; Ms. Smith; and Mac Robinson, H2E Board Member and Vice President of Professional Member Groups, American Hospital Association.

Barnesville Hospital was the recipient of two national awards for environmental performance at the recent Environmental Excellence Summit hosted by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). The awards demonstrate the hospital's commitment to fulfill its' mission of improving the community's health. "Here at Barnesville Hospital, we believe that protecting our environment is crucial to protecting the health of the community we serve," said David Phillips, Sr. Director of Materials & Facilities. "Because of this, we are constantly improving our environmental performance to make our hospital safer and healthier for patients, staff, the community, and the environment."

For the second consecutive year, Barnesville Hospital received the Partners for Change Award. The H2E Partners for Change Award recognizes facilities that continuously improve and expand upon their mercury elimination, waste reduction, and pollution prevention programs. At a minimum, facilities receiving this award recycle at least 10% of their solid waste, have established mercury elimination programs, and have developed other successful programs to reduce their operations' impact on the environment.

In addition, Barnesville Hospital received the Making Medicine Mercury-Free Award. Mercury, a potent neurotoxin and developmental toxin, can impair human health at extremely low levels of exposure and health care facilities can be major contributors to mercury air emissions. The prestigious national award commends Barnesville Hospital for outstanding efforts to eliminate mercury from the health care system by becoming virtually mercury-free. Facilities must take several steps to qualify for the award. According to Anne Smith, Environmental Services Supervisor, "We believe that making our community healthier by replacing mercury devices in our facility with safe and effective alternatives just makes sense. We're proud to be recognized for our efforts."

"By reducing its environmental impact, Barnesville Hospital is playing a pioneering role in health care's shift toward protecting public health," said Laura Brannen, Executive Director of Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. "Barnesville Hospital is creating a healthier environment for patients, staff, and community, and setting an example for other hospitals to follow."

Jointly founded by the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Care Without Harm, and the American Nurses Association, H2E is an independent, not-for-profit organization focused on improving health care's environmental performance. H2E envisions a health care system committed to reduced waste volume and toxicity, efficient energy and water use, clean air, safe work practices, and safe buildings.