Employees Make the Grade at the University of Michigan Health System

Award-Winning Green Training in Health Care

As one of the top 25 greenest cities in the United States according to National Geographic, Ann Arbor, Michigan attests that its organizations have some tough shoes to fill. As a result the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) has to be on its toes. Named ‘The Best Public Institution Recycling Program’ by the Michigan Recycling Coalition in 1991, UMHS was one of the first pioneers for health care recycling. However, in order to establish their award-winning program, UMHS realized the need for a strong training foundation.

When Utilities/Waste Management Group Leader Dave Tyler and Hospital Utilities Manager John Wolski reflect on how they have established their health system as a leader for green practices in the health care industry, they point to the progressive steps of their employees and the training that spurs all environmental compliance throughout the system. Proper training of employees throughout the health care system is of extreme importance to UMHS, not only because of the highly environmentally friendly nature of the city, but the impact that recycling and other green practices can have on the local environment.

“Here at UMHS, we are very aware of the operations going on and how the various segments affect different waste streams,” said Tyler. We realize that if we don’t pay attention to what we’re doing at UMHS in the area of waste management practices and recycling, it could have an environmental and health impact on our surrounding communities.” In the early 90s, UMHS began to establish a recycling program by introducing each new employee to recycling during their orientation training. Since then, the program has blossomed into a comprehensive action plan to create an environmentally efficient health care system.

“We started out with employee awareness, creating posters for facility savings, reductions and recycling,” said Wolski. “Then we created Web pages and programs. We have a wealth of resources available if our employees want to get involved.” Now, UMHS relies on a detailed documentation system, staff camaraderie and various forms of communication to support their training efforts. Each new employee undergoes an orientation where environmental issues and green hospital practices are introduced. Depending on the individual’s discipline and role in the health system, additional training may be provided. All training is computerized, making it simple to keep files organized.

Each compliance test is documented and saved in individual portfolios that are checked sporadically by regulatory bodies such as the Joint Commission. Therefore it is vital that all information be kept up-to-date in case compliancy groups stop in for surprise visits. The computer training system also allows for human resources to monitor the testing, which usually happens once a year, and alerts the departments when an employee is required to renew their training.

Tyler is responsible for training across several of the departments within the health system and has realized the importance of keeping information interesting and engaging. When lecturing he uses various methods to communicate with his audience depending on the age group and the employees’ specialty. Whether using PowerPoints or hosting interactive sessions, Tyler is always aware of his audience and the specific reasons environmental practices are important to their department.

“I take as many questions as possible, which challenges people to think and participate,” said Tyler. “Some departments have recorded the sessions and show the tapes once a year as a refresher course to people who have been on board for awhile.” Tyler’s training sessions have also been requested at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. While not within the UMHS network, they are incorporated into the health care family at the University and often partner with UMHS for research. Tyler believes it benefits the training program to teach at the school as many students will have future careers within UMHS, requiring the “green” knowledge of existing standards for environmental compliance.

In addition to yearly training and testing, UMHS enlists the help of their own staff to get the message out about environmental issues and train from within. They have established the Environmental Stewardship Program, responsible for creating a network of “green individuals” by enlisting fellow employees in environmental efforts. Each department has an energy steward who is provided with a packet of information specific to their area to help co-workers realize what they can do to conserve.

While UMHS employees look to each other for green training, they also can find a great resource in the health care communications. The I.V. Online features the accomplishments of the many stewards and how they have contributed to green practices at UMHS. Conserve It! provides up-to-date information on environmentally friendly practices and standards. Additional materials such as posters and giveaways don the halls of the health system to provide extra exposure and inspiration for recycling.

Training has taken the form of a team approach at UMHS, which has created a winning combination for the health system. By employing its own staff, UMHS tapped a useful resource of individuals who are dedicated to the green practices brought forth in training.

The outstanding work that UMHS has done with all of its environmental programs has earned them the top H2E award, Environmental Leadership, five times. It’s clear that training and education programs help move these programs toward success.

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Recipe for Training Success

UC Davis Health System Infuses Creative Solutions to Train Thousands

H2E: Why is proper training so important?

Danby: Ultimately, training is important because it protects personnel and patients. It also has a positive impact on the facility’s bottom-line by reducing Workers’ Compensation and liability claims.

H2E: How many/which staff members must be trained for environmental compliance?

Danby: To an extent everyone, but some more than others. Everybody here has to go online annually and take a refresher exam on the Environment of Care (infection control, safety hazards, etc.). Then employees assigned to specific duties are trained in specific areas based on exposure potential – whether that be to biohazards or chemicals used for cleaning and disinfecting. Much of this falls under OSHA and EPA compliance, and the Joint Commission also looks at safety and environmental programs.

H2E: How do you address training different sectors of employees?

Danby: Between our 6,500 employees at the medical center, and housing both a medical school and the Level 1 trauma center for the region, we’ve got a lot going on. To effectively train everyone we deputize staff to conduct training within their units. Our department puts the training materials together and provides “train the trainer” sessions for our Safety Coordinators. We have Safety Coordinators for each unit (250 total) and because of this we strive to make sure the message they are conveying is uniform.

H2E: With so many employees, how do you make training interesting and engaging?

Danby: When conducting training for those who are not necessarily health and safety professionals, the key is not to get too technical or just read regulations verbatim; you have to gauge your audience. Healthcare professionals want to know how this really affects them and their patients. Also you need to get creative and find out what appeals to people. For instance, baking is my hobby so I sometimes bring oatmeal cookies – it’s part of the incentive process.

H2E: How do you overcome resistance from health care professionals with busy schedules?

Danby: For many health care providers, training time means less time for them to dedicate to patient care. We use the regulatory card or Joint Commission card… people respect the Joint Commission. You’ve got to put it into context – for example, “here are ways to get you home safely.”

H2E: What other departments must you work with to promote proper training of employees?

Danby: One of the important groups is the IT department because they can help with Web site training and communicating through our Intranet. We have PowerPoint presentations on the intranet that departments can use for training – instead of going to 40 people directly you can have them log onto the site.

H2E: Do you develop your own training programs or follow those from outside organizations?

Danby: I largely look to other organizations for tools to develop programs and rely heavily on videos and DVDs to refresh staff. I’ve been in the profession for 25 years, and the greatest resource for enhancing training has been the Internet. I love Google – it’s my homepage. You can now communicate through organizations such as H2E and post questions to other like-minded individuals who are facing the same issues as you are. Of course you have to be cautious and vet the training materials, but overall being able to share ideas with other training professionals is a great way to enhance your own program.

H2E: So John one last question, how about that recipe for oatmeal cookies?

Danby: Come to one of my classes, and we can talk about it!

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USGBC-GGHC Announce Partnership

In a move that underscores the importance of greening the healthcare industry, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) have entered into an agreement to foster best practices and ensure the health care industry has the tools and resources it needs to build green. Green hospital buildings are healthier for patients, doctors and nurses, use less energy and water, and enhance environmental quality.

“The healthcare industry is by far one of the more important sectors that can benefit from the practice of green building design and construction,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Patients in green hospitals have greater emotional well-being, require less pain medication and other drugs, and have shorter hospital stays.”

Following four years of close collaboration, USGBC and GGHC signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2007 agreeing to work together on the development of tools, educational programs, and other activities to support green healthcare building. USGBC and GGHC will: a) jointly develop healthcare-related resource materials, education and training events; b) jointly identify a prioritized research agenda; and c) continue to collaborate on developing future healthcare-related green building tools. USGBC will administer the LEED for Healthcare certification process. The Green Guide for Health Care will continue to act as a change agent and tool developer dedicated to empowering the health delivery industry to take a leadership position in green building and operations. As such, the Green Guide will continue to develop the next generation of GGHC tools.

Visit www.gghc.org or www.usgbc.org for more information.

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Upcoming Webinars

We have upgraded!

Instead of the teleconference system that we were using, we have upgraded our technology to deliver our events as Webinars instead. We have found them to be a great success so far. Viewers do not have to download anything – the visual presentation is streamed online and you simply dial in for the audio. All of our events are recorded and streamed together for viewing if you miss them. Don’t miss out on these upcoming webinars:

January 4 – Environmental Excellence Awards

January 18 – Environmental Excellence Awards

Webinars are only accessible to those with current subscriptions or those who opt to purchase a single event.

View the Webinar Calendar and register online today!