Stony Brook University Hospital Recognized for Leadership on Environmental Sustainability

Stony Brook University Hospital received the Greenhealth Emerald Award and the Greening the OR Leadership Award for achievements and innovation in healthcare sustainability from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare.

The Greenhealth Emerald Award recognizes healthcare facilities that are setting the standard in eliminating mercury, reducing and recycling waste, sustainable sourcing and other areas.

Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award — From left, Melissa Murphy; Karen Villanueva-Walsh; Jim Murphy; Francina Singh, RN, BScN, MPH, CIC; Patricia Firman; Carol Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ; Steven Weisman, MBA; Jill Kavoukian; Frank Albergo, RPh; Michele Gilleeny-Blabac; Martha Houlihan; Fiona Fernandez; Kathryn Terwilliger, CIH; Ally Silver, FACHE, MPH; Martin Kroll; and Nadia Cerro Ordonez, MBA

The Greening the OR Leadership Award acknowledges facilities demonstrating success in reducing the environmental impact of its surgical suites.

Practice Greenhealth Greening the OR Award — From left, Mary Bennett, RN; Donna Hoffman, RN, MS, MBA; Kenneth Rosenfeld, MD; Carol Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ; Christopher DiRusso; Jill Kavoukian; Ally Silver, FACHE, MPH; Kelly Ryan; Ramona Fernandez Morales; Nadia Cerro Ordonez, MBA; and Rosanna Abreu

“At Stony Brook University Hospital, we recognize that sustainability is essential to our mission, vision and values,” said Carol Gomes, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Stony Brook University Hospital. “The success of our program is due to the unwavering commitment of our team that continually identifies innovative ways to strengthen our initiatives.

Some of the hospital’s award-winning sustainability efforts include:

A reduction in solid waste, which was accomplished by decreasing food waste and implementing internal reuse programs for supplies, equipment and furniture.
The installation of a can crusher, which pulls cans from the hospital’s waste stream.
An insulin waste reduction program in the Pharmacy, which has resulted in a reduction of insulin purchased by 77 percent in the first four months of initiation.
The hospital’s 2,242-square-foot rooftop garden — known as “Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm” — which supplies approximately 1,500 pounds of produce during harvest season for patient meal trays and local charities, offering farm-to-bedside benefits for patients.
Temperature setbacks, which lower temperatures when a building is unoccupied, were added to the Ambulatory Surgery Center.
The inclusion of temperature setback capabilities within the design of the hospital’s two hybrid operating rooms.

“Stony Brook University Hospital continues to advance our healthcare sustainability program through our strategic initiatives, reducing our impact on the environment,” said Jill Kavoukian, Director of Healthcare Safety and Sustainability at Stony Brook University Hospital. “Our success is validated by our metrics.”

Practice Greenhealth presented its Environmental Excellence Awards at a gala on May 9 in Nashville during CleanMed, the premier national conference for leaders in healthcare sustainability.

Learn more about Stony Brook Medicine’s Sustainability Program.