The Health Science Center was recognized with two awards from the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.
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The Health Science Center is being praised for its significant efforts to improve environmental performance while delivering quality patient care. Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E), a non-profit group focused on improving health care’s environmental performance, awarded the Health Science Center both the 2006 H2E Partner for Change Award and the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award, acknowledging the success in environmental improvement and mercury elimination. The Health Science Center is the only health institution in The University of Texas System this year to receive this prestigious award.

“Hospitals for a Healthy Environment supports the goal of practicing world-class medicine while being responsible environmental stewards,” said Michael Charlton, Ph.D., assistant vice president for risk management and safety. “This award demonstrates the Health Science Center’s ongoing commitment to the individual patient and the larger community in San Antonio. While the award is very meaningful to the Health Science Center, the most significant aspect is the improved and cleaner environment sustained each day in our environmentally responsible standard of care.”

The H2E Partners for Change Award recognizes the Health Science Center for acknowledging and acting upon the crucial link between community and environmental health. The award is given annually to facilities that have made significant progress toward reducing waste and preventing total waste each year.

“By focusing on environmental sustainability, the Health Science Center is playing an active role in health care sector’s fundamental shift toward protecting public health instead of simply treating disease,” said Laura Brannen, director of H2E. “The Health Science Center is to be commended for its visionary efforts to create a healthier environment for their patients, staff, community and the global environment.”

For more information, please visit www.h2e-online.org.