March Teleconferences

All H2E teleconferences take place on Fridays at 1 PM EST.

Access to all teleconferences is included in a $199 annual subscription to H2E. Subscribe now!

March 2: How To Achieve Water Efficiency Credits

March 9: HIPAA, HIPAA, Help! How to Implement a Lower Cost HIPAA-Compliant Paper Recycling Program

March 16: Introduction to H2E and Data Collection (sponsored by Biosystems, Inc.)

Success Story - HIPAA Compliant Office Paper Recycling

VA Illiana Health Care System Paper Recycling Program

Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Illiana Health Care System, Danville, IL

• H2E Partner since: October 22, 2003

• H2E Awards: Partner for Change 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 applicant!

• Contact: Sharon Williams, Recycling Coordinator

• Phone: 217-554-5667

• Email: sharon.williams3@med.va.gov

VA Illiana Health Care System’s paper recycling program was first implemented in Fiscal Year (FY) 2000. What initially began as white-paper-only collection expanded to include other diverted confidential materials, originally destroyed/incinerated on site. (This diversion worked to the VA’s advantage when the on-site incinerator was closed in December, 2004.)

Prior to HIPAA coming into force, security issues were identified. End user location security (locked or accessible areas), collection, storage and pick up methods were critiqued and changed to assure compliance with the confidentiality mandate. The facility entered into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with the contracted recycling vendor ensuring strict protocols for handling of confidential materials prior to shipment to the recycling mill.

Security compliance is met through annual employee training—security policy reviews and mandated educational offerings (computer based training); paper collection methods incorporating chain of custody during pick up and delivery to recycling area; and vendor pick up.

During FY’06 VAIHCS invested $32,760 in confidential locked paper bins—strengthening the confidential recycling program for end users. After comparing vendors – one of which offered on-site shredding and the other of which was a paper recycler who destroyed paper in the pulping process, the facility chose to work with the recycler. The confidential paper recycling program results in annual cost avoidance of $40,950 compared to the onsite shredding option. HIPAA does not mandate shredding and the intent of certified destruction required by HIPAA is met in the pulping process, accompanied by detailed contract specifications and engineering controls to ensure continuous confidentiality.

During FY’06 the program managed 79,620 total pounds of paper and netted $1,085.25 in revenue. The vendor provides free bi-monthly material pick up, and gaylords and pallets (if needed), for shipping paper and cardboard. Materials recycled include 6,301 pounds of white office paper earning $314.23 in revenue and 73,319 pounds of confidential materials/office pack (includes colored paper) earning $771.02 in revenue. The paper program incorporated recycling of 168 pallets with paper gaylords. This reduced the number of pallets stored and picked up by outside vendor(s), and shortened vendor material drop off/pick up time.

Additional segregated paper items incorporated into the VAIHCS recycling program are not notable revenue generators but provide significant cost avoidance compared to landfilling – these include books (1,994 lbs), magazines (4,042 lbs, earned $16.02) and #8 News (2,976 lbs, earned $22.23).

VAIHCS also became an educational partner with Mary Miller Junior High School in Georgetown, Illinois through a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The school recycling program enables materials recycling and education, and encourages and emphasizes responsible citizenship. School-generated paper is dropped off at our recycling center and incorporated with our paper. Profit generated from material donated by the school is retained by the medical center.

2007 H2E Environmental Excellence Summit & Awards

May 14-15, 2007 Minneapolis, MN

The 2007 H2E Environmental Excellence Awards will be presented this year at the H2E Environmental Excellence Summit, May 14-15 in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to celebrating our award winners, the Summit will include a Pharmaceutical Waste Management workshop, a keynote address by J. Peterson (Pete) Myers, co-author of Our Stolen Future, as well as Award Winner case studies and informational seminars. The Summit offers an ideal opportunity for healthcare professionals to come together and learn from the experts – and your peers – about best environmental management practices.

To register or learn more about the H2E Environmental Excellence Summit, visit cms.h2e-online.org/awards/2007ees/.

Join H2E!

Becoming an H2E Partner is easy, free, and gives you access to great resources. Founded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association and Health Care Without Harm, H2E provides practical tools to improve health care’s environmental performance and rewards the field’s best performers. Learn more at www.h2e-online.org.

Toll-Free: 1-800-727-4179

Fax: 1-866-379-8705

Email: H2E@H2E-online.org

Web: www.h2e-online.org

HIPAA Tips and Resources

Tips

• Use HIPAA compliance as a driver for document/paper reduction efforts

• Shredding and incineration are NOT required by HIPAA

• Appropriate HIPAA compliance can actually increase paper recycling

Essential resources

• An Introduction to HIPAA – An overview of the law’s requirements

• H2E Guidance Document: Confidential Paper Document Disposal and Resource Conservation