The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) announced today that HealthTrust, a Parallon affiliate, has become a Supporting Organization of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, a collaborative of leading healthcare institutions united to help move the healthcare sector toward environmental sustainability.

HHI is a coordinated sector-wide approach based on the premise that how providers design, build and operate hospitals can improve patient outcomes and workplace safety, prevent illnesses, create environmental benefits and save money.

The Healthier Hospitals Initiative was launched in May 2010 by 12 hospital systems--Advocate Health Care, Bon Secours Health System, Catholic Health Initiatives*, Dignity Health, Gundersen Health System, HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)*, Inova Health System, Kaiser Permanente, MedStar Health, Partners HealthCare, Stanford University Medical Center and Tenet Health Systems (which now includes former Vanguard hospitals)--along with Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm and the Center for Health Design. (*These systems are also members of HealthTrust.)

"HealthTrust has always been dedicated to ecological responsibility," said J. Michael Jones, FACHE, HealthTrust director of Clinical Education and Sustainability. "One of the forerunners of our formal sustainability program is a longstanding commitment to the advancement of reprocessing and remanufacturing medical devices--an initiative with a significant effect on both the environmental impact and economic strength of our member facilities."

Jones noted that HealthTrust's program touches on many dimensions of social responsibility, including an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing initiative, facilities management, waste management, clean energy and chemicals management. HealthTrust is also a full member of Practice Greenhealth and participates in initiatives led by Health Care Without Harm and other environmental interest groups.

"As a Supporting Organization of HHI, HealthTrust will now also promote the goals of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative and seek opportunities to share information with its members and suppliers," said Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm and founder of HHI. "We need organizations like HealthTrust to help transform the market for safer and sustainable products in the healthcare sector. We can't do it without them."

Through the HHI, hospital systems, Supporting Organizations (such as HealthTrust) and other healthcare industry organizations work together to accelerate the widespread adoption of proven sustainability practices.

About HealthTrust

HealthTrust, (legally known as HealthTrust Purchasing Group, L.P.), is committed to strengthening provider performance and clinical excellence through an aligned membership model and the delivery of total cost management solutions, including supply chain solutions and a contract and service portfolio unparalleled in quality, scope and value. HealthTrust (www.healthtrustpg.com) serves nearly 1,400 acute care facilities, 800 ambulatory surgery centers and members in more than 10,600 other locations, including physician practices, long-term care and alternate care sites. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., HealthTrust is closely integrated with the proven capabilities of Parallon (www.parallon.com), a leading provider of healthcare business and operational services, including revenue cycle management, workforce and technology solutions.

About the Healthier Hospitals Initiative

The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) is a national campaign to implement a new approach to improving environmental health and sustainability in the health care sector. Led by 12 sponsoring health systems and three nonprofits, HHI challenges hospitals to address their sustainability practices in six Challenge areas: Engaged Leadership, Healthier Food, Leaner Energy, Less Waste, Safer Chemicals and Smarter Purchasing. Learn more about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative at www.healthierhospitals.org.

HealthTrust
Faye Porter, director of Communications & Education, 615-344-3008
faye.porter@healthtrustpg.com
or
Healthier Hospitals Initiative
Sherry MacDonald, director of Marketing & Communications, 703-870-7494
smacdonald@practicegreenhealth.org