News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 14, 2009
Wisconsin hospital's path toward energy independence
Healthcare is not known for being an environmentally friendly industry. It produces a lot of waste, from scalpels and infectious materials to outdated lab equipment and computers. But hospitals are beginning to challenge that perception. And the hospital of the future—whether it's built from the ground up or retrofitted—will be green. Not just because it's good for the environment (that's actually an added bonus), but because it saves money in the long term and makes the most design sense.
I'm not simply referring to using renewable flooring materials, buying food locally, or recycling old computers. That is part of it, but innovative organizations are also looking for ways to reduce IT's carbon footprint, and in the case of LaCrosse, WI-based Gundersen Lutheran Health System, be 100% energy independent. Gundersen plans to be totally powered by renewable energy by Jan. 1, 2014, says CEO Jeff Thompson, MD, referring to the whole system, which is comprised of 42 facilities in 19 counties in three states.
Read the full story at HealthLeaders Media.
