BOSTON – Boston Medical Center (BMC) has been awarded Practice Greenhealth’s highest honor as a Top 25 hospital in the U.S. for environmental leadership and excellence. This recognition acknowledges BMC’s significant efforts to decarbonize and reduce waste, create healthier hospital environments, and address health inequities and environmental injustices.
BMC deeply understands that our environment is intrinsic to our health. Our environmental justice stewardship is helping to dismantle structural barriers, so our communities can access environmental protections that have been unavailable to historically disinvested areas. For BMCHS, sustainability is a smart business strategy that supports long term patient and community wellbeing.
“BMC’s sustainability initiatives model how operational excellence can support health equity and access. Our innovative approach benefits both people and planet by generating cost savings through conservation, mitigating long-term environmental impacts, and advancing sustainable practices that ensure community well-being,” said Bob Biggio, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability and Real Estate Officer. “We reinvest these savings into expert patient care and community partnerships.”
To support patient and local communities, BMC is committed to achieving the objectives set forth in the White House Climate Pledge, including a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Through first-in-the-nation initiatives, such as Clean Power Prescription, which allows providers to prescribe a reduced energy bill using renewable energy, BMC engages patient communities in sustainability initiatives that expand access to the health and economic benefits of clean energy.
To minimize environmental impacts of our food service, BMC has implemented programs to reduce and sustainably dispose of food waste, employs reusable products, and emphasizes low-emissions food products on menus. BMC also cultivates culturally relevant food on campus via two prosperous rooftop farms and procures locally grown or processed food items.
To achieve operational excellence, the hospital is prioritizing long-range planning and sustainable design in new capital projects. Moreover, BMC is developing and implementing a sustainable procurement strategy to reduce the number of environmental chemicals of concern present in our operations.
“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 Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “Boston Medical Center demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation, and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
Practice Greenhealth also awarded BMC with the Greening the OR Recognition, which celebrates hospitals that have made substantial strides in improving environmental performance in the operating room.
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About Boston Medical Center
Boston Medical Center models a new kind of excellence in healthcare, where innovative and equitable care empowers all patients to thrive. We combine world-class clinicians and cutting-edge treatments with compassionate, quality care that extends beyond our walls. As an award-winning health equity leader, our diverse clinicians and staff interrogate racial disparities in care and partner with our community to dismantle systemic inequities. And as a national leader in research and the teaching affiliate for Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, we’re driving the future of care.
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the leading membership and networking organization for sustainable health care, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,700 U.S. hospitals and health systems. Learn more at practicegreenhealth.org.