The Healthier Hospitals Initiative's (HHI) agenda is based on the premise that a coordinated sector-wide approach to how we design, build and operate hospitals can improve patient outcomes and workplace safety, prevent illnesses, create extraordinary environmental benefits, and save billions of dollars. The Agenda utilizes evidence-based design and research data on environmental sustainability and community health to delineate a prioritized roadmap; it is a method for moving from good ideas implemented by individual facilities to a comprehensive system and sector-wide adoption of sustainable practices and cost reduction.
In the last several years, studies have provided evidence of a strong linkage between the environment and health. Environmental hazards, pollution and emissions may be partially responsible for the nation's epidemic of chronic diseases that require lifetime treatments and consumes approximately 75 percent of all health care expenditures. Engaging in sustainable health care is a responsible and effective way to protect the health of patients, staff and the community.
Learn more about HHI at www.healthierhospitals.org.