Mercy Health-Youngstown Wins Environmental Award

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO – For its work in promoting good environmental practices and developing best practices for other hospitals to follow, the Ohio Hospital Association has presented Mercy Health-Youngstown with the Melvin Creeley Environmental Leadership Award.

The local health system, which includes St. Elizabeth Youngstown and Boardman hospitals and St. Joseph Warren Hospital, has developed initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve management of electricity and gas usage and increase recycling of hazardous waste such as pharmaceuticals and light bulbs.

“The outside environment is a large part of a patient’s healing,” said Dr. John Luellen, president of Mercy Health –Youngstown, in a statement. “As we continue to focus on delivering care to patients outside our traditional hospital walls, our ability to develop and implement sustainable environmental practices allows us to further influence and foster a healthy landscape.”

The hospitals are also working with vendors to bring in post-consumer packaging and utensils to its nutrition service operations.

“Ohio hospitals are committed to the health and wellness of their communities,” said Nolan Rutschilling, director of the Ohio Hospital Association’s energy program. “We are proud to honor hospitals in Ohio who dedicated resources and implemented new programs to improve their environmental stewardship in the community. By embracing energy efficiency and sustainability, Ohio hospitals can reduce their environmental impact and reinvest cost savings back into their communities.”

The award is named after the retired president and CEO of East Liverpool City Hospital, Melvin Creeley, who served as chairman of the association’s environmental leadership council from its creation in 2001 through 2010.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.