Inova Health System’s Going Green Efforts Recognized by Practice Greenhealth

Inova Wins ‘System for Change’ Award for Sustainable Healthcare

Falls Church, VA – (April 7, 2011) – Inova Health System is proud to announce it has received the System for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth. This award recognizes health systems that are working cohesively to gather data, set system goals, benchmark, and share successes in environmental performance. Inova is one of just eight healthcare systems to receive the award.

“We’re very excited to accept this recognition from Practice Greenhealth,” said Randy Kelley, CEO, Inova Loudoun Hospital, and Chair, Inova Sustainability Committee. “During the past few years, Inova and its employees have made great strides in pursuing ways to become environmentally friendly. This award demonstrates Inova’s commitment to sustainability and to be a responsible member of our community.”

Inova’s hospitals were also recognized individually. Inova Fair Oaks and Inova Loudoun hospitals won the 2010 Partner for Change with Distinction Award. Inova Alexandria, Inova Fairfax and Inova Mount Vernon hospitals won the 2010 Partner for Change Award.

Inova has made a commitment to pursue sustainable ways of approaching each aspect of its business – from new construction to monitoring the energy use, waste and recycling involved in day-to-day operations. Inova is a charter member of Practice Greenhealth and is a founding organization of the National Capital Region Sustainable Healthcare Alliance.

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s only membership association devoted to environmentally responsible healthcare. Its 2011 Environmental Excellence Awards are given within the healthcare sector to institutions for outstanding programs to reduce the facility’s environmental footprint.

“We are very pleased to see so many leading health systems striving to improve their environmental performance,” said Anna Gilmore Hall, Executive Director, Practice Greenhealth. “Each of our Environmental Excellence Awards represents a tremendous effort on the part of hospital staff to reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with health delivery.”

A complete list of Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award winners can be found at: www.practicegreenhealth.org/awards/winners/.

About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Members include hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders engaged in the greening of healthcare to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment. For more information on Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.

About Inova Health System
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.