Hospital Honored for Sustainability Efforts

Chicago, Ill. – Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s commitment to environmental excellence has been recognized by Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care.

The hospital earned Practice Greenhealth’s Emerald Award, presented annually to honor the environmental sustainability achievements of health care facilities. These organizations set the standard in eliminating mercury, reducing and recycling waste and sustainable sourcing, among other achievements. Winning hospitals have also shown leadership in the local community and in the health care sector. Advocate Illinois Masonic was among eleven Advocate hospitals to receive individual recognition.

“We are committed to environmental sustainability and strive each year to make an even bigger impact through innovation and the incredible leadership of our team,” says Susan Nordstrom Lopez, President, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. “The need for sustainable practices in health care and across industries continues to increase, and we’re proud to help lead the way.”

Advocate Illinois Masonic, which was also recently named a 100 Top Hospital by IBM Watson, is committed to a multitude of sustainability efforts. In 2017, the hospital diverted more than 607,000 pounds of waste from the landfill through recycling programs and achieved year-over-year reductions of 5.4 percent in energy use per square foot and 5.8 percent in paper use.

The institution was the first hospital in the Chicagoland area to become ENERGY STAR certified, and only one of two in Illinois to receive the certification again in 2017. The hospital is also proud to have led the Advocate Health Care system in waste reduction by avoiding 12,600 pounds of waste, and in single-use device reprocessing savings with over $377,000 saved.

For the 10^th straight year, Advocate Health Care received Practice Greenhealth’s System for Change Award, which honors health care systems working to reduce energy use, increase recycling, establish green building practices and meet other goals related to sustainability. The system’s decade-long record of recognition represents the longest active streak in the United States.

“To be named among the nation’s sustainability leaders is a direct reflection of our team members’ dedication to responsible stewardship of our resources,” said Al Manshum, senior vice president, operations integration. “As the health of individuals is inextricably linked to the health of our environment, we recognize that delivering exceptional care to our patients includes reducing our environmental impact and contributing towards a healthier environment in the communities we serve.”

To learn more about Practice Greenhealth visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.

About Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center is a 397-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the Lake View neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The medical center has a Level I Trauma Center and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the highest designations awarded by the state of Illinois, and offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care, including cardiovascular, oncology, digestive health and neurosciences services. A recipient of numerous awards for quality and clinical excellence, Advocate Illinois Masonic has been named a 100 Top Hospital by IBM Watson and achieved Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The medical center has also been named a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign's Healthcare Equality Index. Advocate Illinois Masonic is part of Advocate Health Care, the largest fully integrated health system in Illinois. For more information, visit www.advocatehealth.com/immc.

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