As a mission-based organization, Mercy Health has a continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of the patients and communities it serves. That includes a commitment to developing a sustainable culture through environmental stewardships and working with others to protect the environment and the community’s health now and for future generations.
Through efforts coordinated by a collaborative council of multi-disciplinary stakeholders across our ministry, Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) and Mercy Health – Cincinnati implemented system-wide sustainable initiatives that earned environmental excellence awards from Practice Greenhealth, a leading sustainability member organization for hospital networks.
BSMH won the System for Change Award, which recognizes health systems that are working cohesively to set system-wide sustainability goals, track performance data, benchmark and support intra-organizational learning and implementation within their institutions.
Major health system successes that led to the award include:
Achieving system-level recycling at Practice Greenhealth’s median percentage; BSMH’s average of 27% exceeds Practice Greenhealth’s target with five BSMH hospitals performing above the 90th percentile.
BSMH eliminated the use of desflurane as an anesthetic gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, translating to the avoidance of approximately 1,671 metric tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.
“I feel very grateful that so many people across the ministry have helped to demonstrate our commitment to strengthening our connection to our mission through sustainability. Receiving such an abundance of accolades speaks volumes to the environmental stewardship within our culture. It is clear that we are a ministry that diligently cares for our common home,” said Noah Dunlap, vice president of insights and innovation, Bon Secours Mercy Health and Advantus Health Partners, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bon Secours Mercy Health.
Additionally, 31 BSMH hospitals received either the Partner for Change or Partner Recognition Award from Practice Greenhealth. This includes Mercy Health’s five Cincinnati-area hospitals, which each earned the Partner Recognition Award. This award recognizes facilities that have a commitment to environmental improvements and have achieved progress in several areas of the organization. Mercy Health – Cincinnati initiatives that led to this recognition include:
Eliminating desflurane as an anesthetic gas, thus avoiding nearly 461 metric tons of CO2e in 2021, which is the equivalent of 100 driven passenger vehicles driving 1,143,474 miles using 51,853 gallons of gasoline.
Converting existing lighting to LED
Earning Energy Star certification
These successful initiatives illustrate the commitment BSMH has to instilling a sustainable culture in every area of health care.
“In a shifting health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Practice Greenhouse Found Gary Cohen. “Bon Secours Mercy Health and its hospitals demonstrate the kind of leadership, innovation, and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”