SEATTLE – (May 16, 2017) — For the third consecutive year, Virginia Mason is a recipient of the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth, a Virginia-based organization striving to reduce health care’s environmental footprint.

The award recognizes 25 health care facilities in the United States that exemplify the best in environmental excellence, adhere to the highest standards for environmental practices in health care and have the documentation to prove their success.

Practice Greenhealth will celebrate Virginia Mason and the other award winners Thursday, May 18, at the CleanMed 2017 Conference and Exhibition in Minneapolis.

“Each year, we see more health care facilities recognizing the link between environmental responsibility and health — and these 25 hospitals are setting the bar for environmental performance in health care,” said Paul Bogart, executive director, Practice Greenhealth. “These leading hospitals continue to innovate on ways to protect and promote health through more environmentally responsible practices. And we are excited to recognize their efforts as models for the sector.”

Virginia Mason is cited for excellence in leadership; reducing waste and chemicals; greening the operating room; serving healthy food; environmentally preferable purchasing; energy efficiency; water conservation; climate preservation; and green building achievements. Virginia Mason also received the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award in 2016 and 2015.

The EnviroMason initiative guides and encourages sustainability efforts across the Virginia Mason organization. Examples of Virginia Mason’s achievements include being the first hospital in the nation to earn Marine Stewardship Council certification for its commitment to serving seafood grown and harvested by certified, environmentally sustainable methods; a water conservation program that has saved an estimated 7 million gallons annually since 2007; and helping to launch Washington Business for Climate Action, which includes more than 250 businesses pledged to protecting the region’s natural assets, its vibrant communities and growing economy.

About Virginia Mason Health System
Virginia Mason, founded in 1920, is a nonprofit regional health care system based in Seattle that serves the Pacific Northwest. In the Puget Sound region, the system includes 336-bed Virginia Mason Hospital; a primary and specialty care group practice of more than 500 physicians; regional medical centers in Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Federal Way, Kirkland, Issaquah and Lynnwood; Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed and built specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS; Benaroya Research Institute, which is internationally recognized for autoimmune disease research; and Virginia Mason Institute, which trains health care professionals and others from around the world in the Virginia Mason Production System, an innovative management methodology for continually improving quality, safety and efficiency. Virginia Mason online: VirginiaMason.org

Virginia Mason Health System also includes Virginia Mason Memorial, a 226-bed hospital serving the Yakima Valley in central Washington since 1950. Memorial online: YakimaMemorial.org

Media Contact:
Gale Robinette
Media Relations Manager
Virginia Mason Health System
(206) 341-1509
gale.robinette@VirginiaMason.org