Press Room
Press Release
Consorta Named Champion for Change by Practice Greenhealth
Schaumburg, Ill., May 21, 2008 - Consorta, a
leading healthcare group purchasing and resource management
organization, has received the Champion for Change Award,
presented by Practice Greenhealth, for its leadership in improving
environmental performance of the healthcare sector. Consorta was
presented with the award at CleanMed 2008, a global conference for
environmental leaders in healthcare.
Consorta was heralded for its continuous support of Practice
Greenhealth's goals. Practice Greenhealth is a landmark initiative
to improve the environmental performance of the healthcare industry.
This is the fifth consecutive year Consorta has been recognized for
its ongoing successful efforts to help its member healthcare
facilities reduce their collective impact on the environment and
improve the health of the communities they serve.
"Consorta has long been the leader in environmentally preferable
purchasing and receiving this award for the fifth consecutive year
affirms the leadership role Consorta has taken in greening
healthcare," said John W. Strong, president and CEO of Consorta.
"Consorta was the first in the healthcare group purchasing industry
to introduce a searchable database of environmentally preferable
products. Plus, we continue to closely with suppliers to educate
them on the need to eliminate potentially dangerous content from
manufacturing process, as well as work toward good waste
minimization practices."
Laura Wenger, Director of Clinical Integration for Consorta, Inc,
who oversees the organization's environmental initiatives, added,
"Consorta continues to work to find environmentally-friendly
alternatives for our members through advocacy, contracting
disclosures, and the development of environmental preferred
purchasing and chemical policies. We are also closely working with
HealthTrust Purchasing Group to further expand our program. In
addition, Consorta has joined and become an active member of the
Global Health and Safety Initiative collaborating with other GPOs
and large IDNs on various national environmental initiatives." says
Wenger.
In acknowledging Consorta's work, Bob Jarboe, Executive Director,
Practice Greenhealth, said, "This award is a reflection of
Consorta's business ethics and represents a strong commitment to
protect patient health and preserve the environment. The stakes are
high and Consorta has shown us their solutions are exciting."
Jarboe added that the Champion for Change Award is
reserved for organizational partners supplying healthcare products
and services that are considerate of the earth and its
resources. "The winners of this award have achieved success in
greening their own organization and have also assisted others who
are committed to improving their environmental performance."
"Consorta is honored to receive this most prestigious award
because it is reflective of our mission and our member's strong
commitment to environmentally preferred purchasing," added
Strong. "Organizationally, we believe it is our duty and
responsibility to our members to hold suppliers accountable for the
content of their products in order to ensure that the safety and
quality of products and services meet the needs of patients,
clinicians and communities that we serve."
About Consorta, Inc.
Consorta, based in suburban Chicago, is a leading
healthcare resource management and group purchasing organization
whose shareholders are faith-based or non-profit health systems.
Consorta's 12 shareholder healthcare systems represent 60 percent of
all Catholic hospitals in the United States, and are among the
leading integrators of non-profit healthcare in America. Consorta's
membership now encompasses more than 3,200 care sites representing
78,000 patient care beds. This includes more than 500 acute and over
300 extended care facilities throughout the country. Consorta also
provides contract purchasing power for some of the nation's leading
non-profit organizations. Web site:
www.consorta.com.
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the result of the merger of two
leading organizations - Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E)
and the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) - with a new
clean energy and energy efficiency program - Healthcare Clean Energy
Exchange (HCEE). For more information on Practice Greenhealth,
healthy initiatives, current trends, news and views, and other links
to earth-friendly organizations, visit
www.practicegreenhealth.org.
Press Contact:
Debra Lynn Ross
dross@consorta.com
847-592-7864