Franciscan Hospital for Children Brings National Effort to Improve Health and Reduce Costs to Boston

 Hospital Joins the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, Pledges to Implement Sustainability in Key “Challenge” Areas

Boston, MA—As research increasingly links environmental factors with chronic disease, Franciscan Hospital for Children has joined a new initiative to adopt sustainability efforts that will promote health and well-being for patients, hospital staff and members of the community.

Franciscan Hospital for Children announced it has enrolled in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI), a national campaign that supports hospitals in accelerating the greening of health care in hopes to reduce its environmental impact.

“There are many productive ways in which we are transforming the hospital to support healthier outcomes for patients, staff and visitors,” said John D. Nash, President and CEO of Franciscan Hospital for Children.  “As part of that transformation and to help us achieve and recognize how changes we make in our operations can affect outcomes, we’re pleased to be partnering with the Massachusetts Hospital Association and the Healthier Hospitals Initiative. As part of the HHI, we’re committed to looking at health in a broader way, and have committed to making Healthier Food more accessible and using Leaner Energy on our campus.  By increasing access to better food and beverage options, we hope to help fight the obesity epidemic.  By tracking our energy use and replacing inefficient HVAC systems, we aim to improve our corporate environmental footprint,” Nash added.

“Franciscan Hospital for Children is showing visionary leadership in adopting our Healthier Food and Leaner Energy guidelines,” said John Messervy, AIA, chair of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative.  “Like we have seen with other hospitals that have implemented these programs, we expect Franciscan Hospital for Children will see ongoing cost savings and will continue to deliver a healing environment that is even more conducive to public health.”

Franciscan Hospital for Children and other enrolled hospitals will track progress and share data to measure the impact of the project.  A current list of health systems participating in the Initiative can be found on HHI’s website.

About Franciscan Hospital for Children

Franciscan Hospital for Children, located in Boston’s neighborhood of Brighton, is the leading pediatric rehabilitation center in New England.  The hospital offers medical, behavioral and educational services for children with complex issues requiring interdisciplinary care. For more information on the hospital, visit www.franciscanchildrens.org, find it on Facebook or follow it on Twitter @FranciscanHFC.

About the Healthier Hospitals Initiative

The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) is a national campaign to implement a completely new approach to improving environmental health and sustainability in the health care sector. Thirteen of the most influential U.S. health systems, comprising approximately 500 hospitals with more than $20 billion in purchasing power, worked with Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), the Center for Health Design and Practice Greenhealth to create HHI as a guide for hospitals to improve sustainability in six key areas: Engaged Leadership, Healthier Foods, Leaner Energy, Less Waste, Safer Chemicals, and Smarter Purchasing. Sponsoring health systems include Advocate Health Care, Bon Secours Health System, Catholic Health Initiatives, Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West), Gundersen Health System, Hospital Corporation of America, Inova Health System, Kaiser Permanente, MedStar Health, Partners HealthCare, Stanford University Medical Center, Tenet Health Systems and Vanguard Health Systems. More information is available at www.healthierhospitals.org. Follow HHI on Twitter at @HHIorg and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healthierhospitalsinitiative.

Contact:         Kelli Fletcher

Regan Communications for Franciscan Hospital for Children

617-488-2893

kfletcher@regancomm.com