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Affinity awarded prestigious environmental leadership honor

05 / 16 / 2007

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MENASHA, Wis. – Affinity Health System was inducted into the Environmental Leadership Circle—an elite group of health care’s outstanding environmental leaders—May 14 at the Environmental Excellence Summit sponsored by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E).

Affinity received this honor for its continued efforts in environmental stewardship. Last year, Affinity was recognized by H2E for outstanding achievement in environmental innovation in health care, as well as awarded the H2E Making Medicine Mercury Free Award for its efforts to virtually eliminate all waste containing mercury.

These honors coincide with Affinity’s commitment to sustainable building practices in constructing environmentally friendly medical facilities.

“Affinity Health System is at the forefront of the trend toward a health care system that recognizes the fundamental link between healthy people and a healthy environment,” said Laura Brannen, executive director of Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. “H2E’s vision of a healthy health care system is steadily becoming a reality in part, because of the remarkable achievements of organizations like Affinity Health System.”

“With every new facility that we build, we are making a serious commitment to ensure the health care environment is healthy for patients, visitors, staff and the earth,” says Gary Kusnierz, director of Construction and Development for Affinity Health System.

In addition to the H2E awards, three Affinity Medical Group clinics—Brillion, Darboy and Greenville—have earned “certified” status through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary standards and certification program created by the U.S. Green Building Council that recognizes environmentally friendly construction projects. Affinity is working to have two additional clinics and the St. Elizabeth Hospital renovation project LEED-certified.

“This is not a fad,” Kusnierz said. “This is a continuous effort and a promise that Affinity is making to the communities we serve. We’re proud to be a national leader in the trend toward environmentally responsible health care.”

Jointly founded by the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Care without Harm and the American Nurses Association, H2E is an independent not-for-profit organization focused on improving health care’s environmental performance. H2E envisions a health care system committed to reduced waste volume and toxicity, efficient energy and water use, clean air, safe work practices and safe buildings.

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is ranked 24 among the top 100 integrated health care networks nationwide (Verispan 2008). Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 37th among the 250 rated health plans in the nation in terms of customer satisfaction and clinical performance, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 23 family practice and specialty clinics in 13 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.