Michigan Green Healthcare Committee

Committee Mission:

Recognizes the interconnection between human health and the environment. We support and encourage sustainability initiatives that improve human and environmental health, protect the unique resources of the state and strengthen Michigan’s healthcare sector. MGHC examines ecological impacts, establishes annual goals, promotes sustainable strategies for healthcare facilities; proposes and creates joint initiatives with key stakeholders; develops and disseminates educational materials; generates new ideas and initiatives to respond to emerging needs or concerns and meets environmental, economic and social objectives. MGHC works to establish a framework for Michigan’s healthcare sector to improve the health and well-being of the state’s ecology center and its citizens.

Committee Goals:

• Examine how the design and operation of our health care facilities impact human, community and environmental health.
• Identify cost savings achieved through sustainability programs.
• Establish annual goals.
• Promote sustainable strategies for healthcare facilities, including: 
  • Reduced energy consumption.
  • Responsible waste management.
  • Healthy, sustainable and local food.
  • Safer chemicals.
  • Environmental preferable purchasing.

Learn more about the MGHC Framework and Structure and the Partner Code of Ethics.

Celebrate Local Food

In a joint partnership with Cultivate Michigan, the MHA and the Michigan Green Healthcare Committee is launching a campaign to encourage hospitals to commit to purchasing local foods.

Participating facilities will commit to featuring a local (Michigan) item on your menu each month. If you participate, you will identify, source, prepare, serve and share your local purchases with your community and with us!

As you get started, we’ll provide you with the support you need and share your success throughout the year. The MHA and Cultivate Michigan will promote your efforts as you send photos, recipes and stories.

Register Now

The Michigan Green Healthcare Conference is intended for individuals and organizations interested in promoting sustainability practices within the healthcare industry. We encourage sustainability officers, dieticians, clinicians, engineers, architects, pharmacists, environmental services, food and nutrition, and maintenance managers, energy coordinators, business partners, governmental agencies, public health professionals, non-profits, and anyone else with a passion for reducing the ecological footprint of the healthcare industry to attend the conference.

The Michigan Battle of the Buildings program, organized by the West Michigan chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, is a free energy-reduction competition that’s an easy way to identify energy efficient practices and improve the environmental footprint of healthcare facilities.

A record number of Michigan hospitals are participating in the 2017 program, which is supported by the committee and the MHA.

Participants in the competition must report their energy consumption using Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager. Buildings that demonstrate the highest percentage-based reduction in energy use in 2017 will be recognized at the 2018 Energy Summit in Grand Rapids.

Campaign Brochure

Learn more about this initiative by contacting us below.

MHA Member Hospitals Participating in Michigan Battle of the Buildings 2017

• Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital
• Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn
• Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills
• Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe
• Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak
• Beaumont Hospital, Taylor
• Beaumont Hospital, Trenton
• Beaumont Hospital, Troy
• Beaumont Hospital, Wayne
• Bronson Battle Creek
• Bronson Methodist Hospital/Bronson Healthcare Group
• Covenant HealthCare
• Deckerville Community Hospital
• Harbor Beach Community Hospital
• McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital
• McLaren Northern Michigan
• Munson Medical Center
• Sparrow Hospital
• Spectrum Health Big Rapids
• Spectrum Health Blodgett
• Spectrum Health Fuller Continuing Care
• Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial
• Spectrum Health Kalamazoo Continuing Care
• Spectrum Health Kelsey
• Spectrum Health Ludington
• Spectrum Health Medical Center (Butterworth, Meijer Heart Center, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion)
• Spectrum Health Pennock
• Spectrum Health Reed City
• Spectrum Health United
• Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital
• University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
• West Branch Regional Medical Center

The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI), organized by Health Care Without Harm, Practice GreenHealth and The Center for Health Design, is a call-to-action for an entire industry. The HHI recruits the nation’s hospitals to participate in any of their initiatives: Engaged Leadership, Healthier Food, Leaner Energy, Less Waste, Safer Chemicals and Smarter Purchasing. The Michigan Green Healthcare Committee plans to spend the year engaging the MHA member hospitals to increase their involvement with HHI. With that, the MHA has signed a letter of agreement to become a supporting organization for this initiative. It is the goal of the MGHC to have 60% (80/133) of Michigan hospitals enrolled in at least one challenge from HHI by 2016. Learn more about this initiative by contacting us below.

In 2010, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Board of Trustees adopted a resolution encouraging all community hospitals to lead by example by implementing a multi-faceted healthy eating experience for hospital patients, employees and visitors. The Healthy Food Hospitals campaign gives Michigan hospitals the opportunity to model exemplary food service choices and nutritional selections to support the health of all those who walk through their doors.

The MHA was among the first hospital associations in the country to voluntarily initiate a campaign to model healthy food environments in hospitals statewide. This initiative paves the way for additional efforts to improve health in local communities by teaching businesses and others in public venues to create healthy food environment policies. Learn more about this initiative by contacting us below.