Frequently Asked Questions
Why should your facility or organization become an H2E Partner?
Becoming a Partner officially marks your organization’s commitment to H2E’s mission of transforming the health care sector until environmental excellence is an integral part of how health care does business.
H2E provides a national network for peer-to-peer exchange of best management practices and innovation to help you stretch your limited resources. Participation connects your organization to like-minded organizations who are collectively putting ‘health’ back into health care.
H2E welcomes organizations at any level of engagement. If you’re just getting started, H2E can share tried and true resources. If your organization has implemented waste or mercury reduction programs or have been leaders in environmental improvements, H2E can help you gain recognition for your achievement through H2E’s Awards program.
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Are all Partners the same?
Partners are a varied group, and how organizations participate in the program will vary according to their mission. Health Care Facility Partners – hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and health systems – use H2E resources to improve day-to-day operations and implement new and improved environmental programs. Organizational Partners – hospital and nursing associations, suppliers and manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, service providers, technical assistance providers and green building experts – assist health care facilities in reducing their environmental impact and improving environmental performance.
While each type of Partner creates programs unique to their needs and capabilities, all Partners share expertise, innovation and creativity that will enable the transformation of the health care sector.
Learn more about how to Develop Your Partner Program.
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What do H2E Partners commit to do?
H2E Facility Partners commit to:
- Implement mercury elimination efforts
- Target significant waste reductions
- Minimize the use of and exposure to hazardous chemicals and persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances
- Establish policies and procedures that protect the environment, improve worker safety, reduce pollution and advance community health
- Assess their facility’s waste and environmental programs and set annual goals and action plans
- Track and report their progress and accomplishments
H2E Organizational Partners commit to helping health care facilities meet these goals by providing educational, practical, and material help. Activities vary widely according to the particular organization’s activities and business model.
Learn more about sample goals and activities for different Partner types.
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How will H2E help Partners in these efforts?
Partners can use all of the tools and resources on the H2E website, request information or guidance from peers through the H2E listserv, and receive StatGreen, the monthly H2E newsletter.
Partners are encouraged to participate in one of the monthly Introduction to H2E teleconferences to jumpstart their programs and ensure that they know about all of the resources H2E can provide. During this hour-long call, staff provide an overview of the H2E program, point out where to find our most used resources, and offer suggestions on getting started (or continuing with) your environmental initiatives. We’ll go over how to identify goals and implement practical solutions at the facility level, as well as suggesting some ways that Organizational Partners can assist facilities.
H2E provides one-on-one technical assistance to Partners only through its Subscription program
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So now I’m a Partner, why should I also subscribe?
H2E encourages Partners to subscribe to a package of specific tools and resources that includes a full year of (24) educational teleconferences, direct technical assistance to help you set and meet your goals, and the opportunity to apply for an H2E Award to get the recognition your hard work deserves.
H2E’s technical assistance can help you get right to work with tried and true solutions, rather than spending hours researching issues you are unfamiliar with. Listserv participants share policies, best practices, even vendor “reviews” that can help you take control of your programs. And H2E Awards can help you get media coverage, positive community recognition, and the support of high-level administrators for environmental programs. Click on these links for more information on subscription benefits and to subscribe now.
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Do I have to be an H2E Subscription to join a teleconference?
No. The Introduction to H2E teleconference is free to all new Partners. After that, anyone can participate in teleconferences on a pay-as-you-go basis. Individual teleconferences cost $79 per call. You can sign up for individual calls on the Teleconference webpage.
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How do I get started?
Subscribe to H2E, peruse the tools and resources, and participate in an Intro to H2E teleconference to understand the model – data collection, presenting to administration, getting buy-in, forming a team, setting goals, and so on. Learn how to Develop Your Program – H2E offers specific steps for how to build a strong environmental program and outlines sample goals for different sectors. The most important step is getting started!
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What happened to the Champion for Change program?
H2E has simplified our participation categories so everyone can join through the same “door” with no application process required. Now the types of organizations that were previously Champions – vendors, GPOs, government agencies, nonprofit groups, consultants, etc. – join H2E as Organizational or State Partners.
The name Champions for Change is now reserved for Organizational Partners whose activities have earned them a Champions for Change Award—so the name Champion rewards actual accomplishments, not just a statement of goals. For a list of Current Champions, click here.
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