ORLANDO, FL (September 4, 2012) – When it comes to energy usage, healthcare organizations are at the top; ranking second in the nation among industries that use the most energy. Orlando Health’s LiveGreen program is committed to changing that with efforts underway to reduce energy use at its Central Florida hospitals and now taking efforts national by registering in the National Healthier Hospitals Initiative.
Recently highlighted by the White House, the Healthier Hospitals Initiative is working to reduce environmental impact and costs by looking at six challenges faced by hospitals around the nation. Through involvement in this program Orlando Health has the opportunity to improve the health of patients, team members and its community through a focus on the following:
- Serving healthier foods and beverages
- Reducing energy usage
- Reducing waste and increasing recycling programs
- Using environmentally friendly chemicals
- Purchasing environmentally preferable products
- Education on environmental health and sustainability
Orlando Health’s LiveGreen program is already making great strides. To date, Orlando Health’s has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at all of its facilities by 4%, the equivalent of taking more than 8000 cars off the road.
Orlando Health hospitals participating in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative include Orlando Regional Medical Center, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, Dr.P. Phillips Hospital, South Seminole Hospital, Health Central and South Lake Hospital.
Orlando Health is familiar with national environmental programs. In 2011, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital was selected as one of 10 hospitals in the country to take part in the Energy Star National Building Competition. Dr. P. Phillips Hospital saw great success in the competition, and changes implemented throughout the hospital led to an annual reduction of nearly a million kilowatt hours, more than 200,000 gallons of water and a 5-10% reduction in energy expenses.
For more information about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative visit healthierhospitals.org.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Orlando Health is one of Central Florida’s largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians supporting our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients’ needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.