Normally my posts are very serious and analytical, touched with a healthy dose of idealism.
Today though I have to do the blogging equivalent of jumping around, clapping my hands, and squealing "yippee" in a really annoying nasal voice, thanks to hearing fellow blogger Scutmonkey's news.
First of all Michelle, I can totally identify with the response to a "big news" teaser...
It seems like if you're female and married and "of a certain age" (meaning anywhere outside pre-pubescent) whenever you make the "I have news" pronouncement everyone automagically assumes your uterus is burgeoning with new life and amazing rates of cell division.
Earlier this month our families were SURE we were pregnant, and unfortunately for them we hit 'em with the double whammy of "not yet" and "we're up and moving to the Netherlands - in about a month."
So loyal readers, big news from the medical/health/hospital blogosphere:
Scutmonkey, aka Michelle, proud author of The Underwear Drawer blog (which rarely focuses on underclothing accoutrements and usually sticks to the fascinating and humorous nuggets that show practicing medicine IS part of daily life and docs are NOT aliens in disguise from planet Medic0) got a book deal.
Awesome news Scutmonkey - you'll make us all proud as the female, more humorous Atul Gawande!
Did I mention she's also an anesthesia resident with a great eye for photography?
Now Scutmonkey, about that advanced copy...
17.11.07
Dress for Success DC - Great Gala, Great Nonprofit
Let's step outside the healthcare industry this weekend. Before the holiday rush begins, it's a good refresher to focus on things we value outside the world of work (like watching cheesy movies with the husband and Claussen dill pickles).
Also things like volunteering.
For Gen-X and Yers itching to expand their range of experiences, seeking fulfillment in work done outside the 9-5 often comes in the form of volunteerism.
As a Director for The Hanover Research Council, I realized pretty quickly I'd need to devote some of the social capital and knowledge I was gaining back to organizations who could benefit from my time and energy.
What a classic, idiotic, self-centric view.
It's a good thing I got involved with Dress for Success early enough to keep this "me" based view from veering toward pomposity (for the most part).
My time with the Dress for Success Washington DC affiliate, led by amazing Executive Director Jen McNulty, has helped me refocus from serving self to serving others - with DFS, its serving women who need a helping hand.
As Dress for Success Worldwide Board Chair Rosalyn Taylor O'Neale said at Thursday night's 5th Anniversary Celebration, the women who come through the doors (over 3,000 in five years at DFS DC) do the hard work.
All they're looking for is someone to do the easy stuff - support them as they decide to turn their lives around.
When women arrive at Dress for Success Washington DC, they're greeted by a volunteer who becomes their personal shopper, mentor, and job coach. The volunteer assists our client with work-ready outfits that build confidence, prepping them for the interview process.
At the Career Corner, volunteers teach computer/internet skills, (and often Jen herself - who serves as a down-to-earth model of supportive coaching) help the ladies with resumes, searching job postings, and practicing interviewing so they can wrap up that offer up with a bow and tie the job up tight.
Support continues after clients have secured a job - the DFS Professional Womens Group (PWG) members visit museums, attend workshops on developing professional skills, and help other DFS clients.
After directing guests at the event, which ran like clockwork thanks to the team of gurus from The Webster Group, volunteers got a seat at the table to enjoy the program.
At dinner, I sat with other volunteers - we were as diverse and celebratory a group as I've ever had the privilege to be a part.
The event was held at the Hotel Monaco, a Kimpton Boutique property, where you can get a companion goldfish delivered to your room for the duration of your stay.
For those of you interested in such things, Kimpton properties always showcase a great sense of style and nontraditional hotel design. Steps from the Verizon Center in downtown DC, Hotel Monaco is no exception.
Kimpton properties worldwide act as charity partners for Dress for Success branches, donating space for fantastic events.
Kimpton Hotels COO Niki Leondakis received an award - and her story about feeling intimidated meeting DFS Worldwide CEO Joi Gordon ("what do I wear to the meeting?") was just one example of the amazing connections made by women involved with Dress for Success.
When at your table you've got a newly-posted advisor in the University of Maryland system with a Master's in Counseling, a retired federal HR pro who has suited women at least once a week for several years and who edits the newsletter, 2 interns who are doing amazing work at DFS, the son of a DFS client who's an/actor, magician and unique personality (and I guarantee we'll see on Broadway or TV someday), a DFS staffer who is the godmother of another DFS employee and former client, and several other amazing volunteers, you're bound to have some of the most interesting conversations of your life.
What is it that pulled us all in at DFS and keeps us coming back for more?
Two things: The women we serve and Jen McNulty, who devotes as much time to mentoring volunteers as she does to coaching clients.
The women we serve. Amazing women with stories that deserve to be told, who are devoted to working in ways that make living better for their families.
Get involved with your local Dress for Success.
Give of your time, give of your money, but most importantly, give of yourself.
Women who walk through the doors leave with so much more than a suit. In wrapping them in the support they need to succeed, we weave a stronger fabric for the global community of women.
PS -the food was awesome!
Also things like volunteering.
For Gen-X and Yers itching to expand their range of experiences, seeking fulfillment in work done outside the 9-5 often comes in the form of volunteerism.
As a Director for The Hanover Research Council, I realized pretty quickly I'd need to devote some of the social capital and knowledge I was gaining back to organizations who could benefit from my time and energy.
What a classic, idiotic, self-centric view.
It's a good thing I got involved with Dress for Success early enough to keep this "me" based view from veering toward pomposity (for the most part).
My time with the Dress for Success Washington DC affiliate, led by amazing Executive Director Jen McNulty, has helped me refocus from serving self to serving others - with DFS, its serving women who need a helping hand.
As Dress for Success Worldwide Board Chair Rosalyn Taylor O'Neale said at Thursday night's 5th Anniversary Celebration, the women who come through the doors (over 3,000 in five years at DFS DC) do the hard work.
All they're looking for is someone to do the easy stuff - support them as they decide to turn their lives around.
When women arrive at Dress for Success Washington DC, they're greeted by a volunteer who becomes their personal shopper, mentor, and job coach. The volunteer assists our client with work-ready outfits that build confidence, prepping them for the interview process.
At the Career Corner, volunteers teach computer/internet skills, (and often Jen herself - who serves as a down-to-earth model of supportive coaching) help the ladies with resumes, searching job postings, and practicing interviewing so they can wrap up that offer up with a bow and tie the job up tight.
Support continues after clients have secured a job - the DFS Professional Womens Group (PWG) members visit museums, attend workshops on developing professional skills, and help other DFS clients.
After directing guests at the event, which ran like clockwork thanks to the team of gurus from The Webster Group, volunteers got a seat at the table to enjoy the program.
At dinner, I sat with other volunteers - we were as diverse and celebratory a group as I've ever had the privilege to be a part.
The event was held at the Hotel Monaco, a Kimpton Boutique property, where you can get a companion goldfish delivered to your room for the duration of your stay.
For those of you interested in such things, Kimpton properties always showcase a great sense of style and nontraditional hotel design. Steps from the Verizon Center in downtown DC, Hotel Monaco is no exception.
Kimpton properties worldwide act as charity partners for Dress for Success branches, donating space for fantastic events.
Kimpton Hotels COO Niki Leondakis received an award - and her story about feeling intimidated meeting DFS Worldwide CEO Joi Gordon ("what do I wear to the meeting?") was just one example of the amazing connections made by women involved with Dress for Success.
When at your table you've got a newly-posted advisor in the University of Maryland system with a Master's in Counseling, a retired federal HR pro who has suited women at least once a week for several years and who edits the newsletter, 2 interns who are doing amazing work at DFS, the son of a DFS client who's an/actor, magician and unique personality (and I guarantee we'll see on Broadway or TV someday), a DFS staffer who is the godmother of another DFS employee and former client, and several other amazing volunteers, you're bound to have some of the most interesting conversations of your life.
What is it that pulled us all in at DFS and keeps us coming back for more?
Two things: The women we serve and Jen McNulty, who devotes as much time to mentoring volunteers as she does to coaching clients.
The women we serve. Amazing women with stories that deserve to be told, who are devoted to working in ways that make living better for their families.
Get involved with your local Dress for Success.
Give of your time, give of your money, but most importantly, give of yourself.
Women who walk through the doors leave with so much more than a suit. In wrapping them in the support they need to succeed, we weave a stronger fabric for the global community of women.
PS -the food was awesome!
14.11.07
Other Than DOA, Three Little Words You Never Want to Hear In Healthcare
Or healthcare administration education...
"That's not possible."
"It'll never work."
You may as well wave a red flag at a bull...
This afternoon I spoke with the well-published Dept. Chair at the illustrious institution I've chosen for graduate school.
We're getting along famously until one little thing throws a wrench in the works - the idea of international study. For a first year student. Who wants to do their coursework @#$backwards (the practicum first). In the, ahem, Netherlands.
I'll spare you the gory details for now, but it looks like several things will happen, especially since I am completely and embarrassingly hooked on this program:
1. Ideally my admission will be finalized (so I don't have to reapply) and I'll defer for a year.
2. I can transfer somewhere around 25% of my courses to my most-wanted Master's program, so I'll scope out a few classes at Erasmus in Rotterdam, which, God bless it, just happens to have an internationally ranked Institute of Health Policy and Management.
3. Meanwhile I'll do some awesome research and keep in touch with my Dream Program (which I'll name shortly).
4. I'll learn the ins and outs of the Dutch system, which, according to my soon-to-be Dept. Chair, is a "gold mine" for quality measurement and eldercare, among other high-impact areas of vital import to the US system.
And when faced with a question (in any field), let's make it ok to be curious and respond with these five word phrases:
"What'd you have in mind?"
or
"How would we do that?"
"That's not possible."
"It'll never work."
You may as well wave a red flag at a bull...
This afternoon I spoke with the well-published Dept. Chair at the illustrious institution I've chosen for graduate school.
We're getting along famously until one little thing throws a wrench in the works - the idea of international study. For a first year student. Who wants to do their coursework @#$backwards (the practicum first). In the, ahem, Netherlands.
I'll spare you the gory details for now, but it looks like several things will happen, especially since I am completely and embarrassingly hooked on this program:
1. Ideally my admission will be finalized (so I don't have to reapply) and I'll defer for a year.
2. I can transfer somewhere around 25% of my courses to my most-wanted Master's program, so I'll scope out a few classes at Erasmus in Rotterdam, which, God bless it, just happens to have an internationally ranked Institute of Health Policy and Management.
3. Meanwhile I'll do some awesome research and keep in touch with my Dream Program (which I'll name shortly).
4. I'll learn the ins and outs of the Dutch system, which, according to my soon-to-be Dept. Chair, is a "gold mine" for quality measurement and eldercare, among other high-impact areas of vital import to the US system.
And when faced with a question (in any field), let's make it ok to be curious and respond with these five word phrases:
"What'd you have in mind?"
or
"How would we do that?"
11.11.07
What Do The Docs Do on Their Downtime?
Uh oh...no health-related gallows humor in Holland...
I'll have to be careful over there in Nederland (and you thought nothing could be a bigger conversation-kill than a whispered "HIPAA").
From NL Planet:
"Dutch certainly has a rather unique approach to swearwords: sexually-based ones are less shocking, the worst being related to catching or having nasty diseases, a hangover from unhealthier mediaeval times. The worse the disease, the more insulting the curse, and the Dutch use a whole clutch of them: pleurisy, tuberculosis, the plague, smallpox, cancer... recently even Aids has been added to the list. To call someone an 'Aids sufferer', for instance, is a grave insult, so the system evolves continually. This can all be a bit unsettling for the unsuspecting newcomer."
I wonder how they feel about patients openly conversing with healthcare professionals about diagnoses and treatment options?
I'll have to be careful over there in Nederland (and you thought nothing could be a bigger conversation-kill than a whispered "HIPAA").
From NL Planet:
"Dutch certainly has a rather unique approach to swearwords: sexually-based ones are less shocking, the worst being related to catching or having nasty diseases, a hangover from unhealthier mediaeval times. The worse the disease, the more insulting the curse, and the Dutch use a whole clutch of them: pleurisy, tuberculosis, the plague, smallpox, cancer... recently even Aids has been added to the list. To call someone an 'Aids sufferer', for instance, is a grave insult, so the system evolves continually. This can all be a bit unsettling for the unsuspecting newcomer."
I wonder how they feel about patients openly conversing with healthcare professionals about diagnoses and treatment options?
6.11.07
When the Healthcare Coverage Debate Comes Home to Roost
It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Those of us who are convicted will convict ourselves with the strength and, sometimes, the inflexibility of our beliefs.
In our efforts to 'convert' or 'convince,' those we love bear (at one time or another) the brunt of misguided proselytizing.
In other words, I was wrong, and it sucked. It won't be the first time, nor will it be the last.
Backstory:
Tonight the husband and I ate at a great little restaurant in Adams Morgan called Cashions.
We were very happy to see organic chicken and Eco Friendly Farm pork listed, but talk quickly veered off the topic of what we'd have to eat.
I'll apologize here to fellow diners elbow's length away, as a debate we had regarding consumer choice and coverage in the healthcare market got a bit more heated than my bowl of spicy squash soup.
The narrative that got us off to the races was this:
* Our patient has pain in a very specific spot below his last rib on the right side. This pain has been "annoying" and rates, at worst, a 1-2 on the 1-10 pain scale. Pain is aggravated with prolonged sitting. Patient is on no meds for this pain.
*Two separate visits/physical exams by a trusted internal med doc reveal no abnormalities. Sonogram reveals no abnormal findings. On first lab panel, liver enzymes were significantly elevated. On a followup panel, findings were well within normal ranges.
*When asked "what's wrong?," well-liked IM doc states something along the lines of "I don't see anything, but you know your body better than I do, what do you think it is?" Patient replies "something muscular?"
Now here's the kicker:
*Patient will be visiting same internal med doc in the near future. The patient has decided, pre-visit, that he/she will request additional diagnostic testing for phantom rib pain, which has caused no significant alterations to daily activities including vigorous exercise (running etc). Patient has noted increased pain during some runs, but has not discontinued activity due to pain.
Here's what got me going:
*Patient has determined that they will elect to request further imaging including CT and/or MRI just to make sure, especially if doc cannot provide a firm diagnosis.
*When asked if patient would make same selection of healthcare services if he/she was self-pay versus full (very nice) insurance coverage via employer 100% paid UHC plan, patient replied somewhere in the neighborhood of "hell no - I'd probably stop either before the sonogram or now - I'm not paying for it" (!!!!).
*Rationale for further testing included personal emotive rationalization of costs for exhaustive testing, even though further testing has not been medically indicated nor recommended by the physician to date (this may change during future exams or of course if symptoms/condition worsen). Comments included things like "well I'm not paying for it" and "I've paid into this plan for over four years."
When faced with actual cost realizations about how much further testing would 'really' cost versus how much the patient would see/be responsible for on a bill, patient was surprised, dismayed, and defensive.
All my fault, since the patient is my husband, and I failed to take into account that this 'teaching' opportunity would hit too close to home.
Here are the lessons:
* When patient is someone near and dear, carefully weigh value of 'debating' and 'promoting' education or your own personal agenda - those closest to you will (rightfully so) ALWAYS take this personally.
* Woe to those of us who forget that health decisions are always, always influenced by the personal - personal fears, personal CvB analyses, personal ability to pay or lack thereof, etc.
* My most important concern in this instance should have been what the patient was going through - what influenced him to consider options and how he makes his choices.
* Oh hell, he's my husband - my first concern is his health. The choices he makes are his. The costs and consequences are ours to bear.
*To thine own self be true: Examine why the issue raises your own hackles.
My motivation in discussing the need for patients to be educated consumers, COGNIZANT of the real monetary costs of their healthcare choices, actually grows from a strange sense of misplaced guilt.
After multiple ankle surgeries, for which I will NEVER bear the full burden of cost (thanks to managed care, without which I wouldn't have a working near-bionic billion dollar ankle), I am up walking and dancing barefoot at my sister-in-law's wedding, running half-triathlons and generally taking for granted the fact that I've received more excellent care than I can ever repay.
How can I give back to a system that literally saved my mobility? That allows me to enjoy things like a leisurely walk home without a cane? The fact that I can still wear 1/2 inch heels after being told I had less than a 10% chance of walking without a mobility aid?
The answer is simple: from the inside.
I'm not a doctor. I'm not a nurse. I'm not a counselor, or a physical therapist.
I am a manager. I am an innovator. I am a challenger of the status quo. I am a relationship builder. I am a person who calls my direct reports by their first names and worries about their families on the weekends.
What can I do to change the system? Get inside it. Make changes where I can. Continue to hope that improvements are possible. Proclaim that belief, and help others buy in.
The single most discouraging portion of our conversation tonight happened just after I'd realized I was arguing with my own demons, not the 'patient's.'
If I hadn't had insurance I wouldn't have had a great doc and a wonderful fixator and great followup care and the aqua therapy that allowed me to be up and weight bearing four months ahead of schedule.
The single most discouraging portion of our conversation tonight was when my husband looked me in the eye, after I apologized profusely for crossing the border of constructive conversation and personal empathy (veering dangerously close to 'preaching') and said:
"But I'm just one person. I can't do anything to change this."
And believed it.
Oh honey - people like us are the only ones who ever will.
Those of us who are convicted will convict ourselves with the strength and, sometimes, the inflexibility of our beliefs.
In our efforts to 'convert' or 'convince,' those we love bear (at one time or another) the brunt of misguided proselytizing.
In other words, I was wrong, and it sucked. It won't be the first time, nor will it be the last.
Backstory:
Tonight the husband and I ate at a great little restaurant in Adams Morgan called Cashions.
We were very happy to see organic chicken and Eco Friendly Farm pork listed, but talk quickly veered off the topic of what we'd have to eat.
I'll apologize here to fellow diners elbow's length away, as a debate we had regarding consumer choice and coverage in the healthcare market got a bit more heated than my bowl of spicy squash soup.
The narrative that got us off to the races was this:
* Our patient has pain in a very specific spot below his last rib on the right side. This pain has been "annoying" and rates, at worst, a 1-2 on the 1-10 pain scale. Pain is aggravated with prolonged sitting. Patient is on no meds for this pain.
*Two separate visits/physical exams by a trusted internal med doc reveal no abnormalities. Sonogram reveals no abnormal findings. On first lab panel, liver enzymes were significantly elevated. On a followup panel, findings were well within normal ranges.
*When asked "what's wrong?," well-liked IM doc states something along the lines of "I don't see anything, but you know your body better than I do, what do you think it is?" Patient replies "something muscular?"
Now here's the kicker:
*Patient will be visiting same internal med doc in the near future. The patient has decided, pre-visit, that he/she will request additional diagnostic testing for phantom rib pain, which has caused no significant alterations to daily activities including vigorous exercise (running etc). Patient has noted increased pain during some runs, but has not discontinued activity due to pain.
Here's what got me going:
*Patient has determined that they will elect to request further imaging including CT and/or MRI just to make sure, especially if doc cannot provide a firm diagnosis.
*When asked if patient would make same selection of healthcare services if he/she was self-pay versus full (very nice) insurance coverage via employer 100% paid UHC plan, patient replied somewhere in the neighborhood of "hell no - I'd probably stop either before the sonogram or now - I'm not paying for it" (!!!!).
*Rationale for further testing included personal emotive rationalization of costs for exhaustive testing, even though further testing has not been medically indicated nor recommended by the physician to date (this may change during future exams or of course if symptoms/condition worsen). Comments included things like "well I'm not paying for it" and "I've paid into this plan for over four years."
When faced with actual cost realizations about how much further testing would 'really' cost versus how much the patient would see/be responsible for on a bill, patient was surprised, dismayed, and defensive.
All my fault, since the patient is my husband, and I failed to take into account that this 'teaching' opportunity would hit too close to home.
Here are the lessons:
* When patient is someone near and dear, carefully weigh value of 'debating' and 'promoting' education or your own personal agenda - those closest to you will (rightfully so) ALWAYS take this personally.
* Woe to those of us who forget that health decisions are always, always influenced by the personal - personal fears, personal CvB analyses, personal ability to pay or lack thereof, etc.
* My most important concern in this instance should have been what the patient was going through - what influenced him to consider options and how he makes his choices.
* Oh hell, he's my husband - my first concern is his health. The choices he makes are his. The costs and consequences are ours to bear.
*To thine own self be true: Examine why the issue raises your own hackles.
My motivation in discussing the need for patients to be educated consumers, COGNIZANT of the real monetary costs of their healthcare choices, actually grows from a strange sense of misplaced guilt.
After multiple ankle surgeries, for which I will NEVER bear the full burden of cost (thanks to managed care, without which I wouldn't have a working near-bionic billion dollar ankle), I am up walking and dancing barefoot at my sister-in-law's wedding, running half-triathlons and generally taking for granted the fact that I've received more excellent care than I can ever repay.
How can I give back to a system that literally saved my mobility? That allows me to enjoy things like a leisurely walk home without a cane? The fact that I can still wear 1/2 inch heels after being told I had less than a 10% chance of walking without a mobility aid?
The answer is simple: from the inside.
I'm not a doctor. I'm not a nurse. I'm not a counselor, or a physical therapist.
I am a manager. I am an innovator. I am a challenger of the status quo. I am a relationship builder. I am a person who calls my direct reports by their first names and worries about their families on the weekends.
What can I do to change the system? Get inside it. Make changes where I can. Continue to hope that improvements are possible. Proclaim that belief, and help others buy in.
The single most discouraging portion of our conversation tonight happened just after I'd realized I was arguing with my own demons, not the 'patient's.'
If I hadn't had insurance I wouldn't have had a great doc and a wonderful fixator and great followup care and the aqua therapy that allowed me to be up and weight bearing four months ahead of schedule.
The single most discouraging portion of our conversation tonight was when my husband looked me in the eye, after I apologized profusely for crossing the border of constructive conversation and personal empathy (veering dangerously close to 'preaching') and said:
"But I'm just one person. I can't do anything to change this."
And believed it.
Oh honey - people like us are the only ones who ever will.
5.11.07
It's Health Insurance Awareness Month in DC
News (verbatim) from the DC Dept. of Insurance, Securities, and Banking:
| ||
3.11.07
Challenge of the Week: Go Carbon Neutral
The husband and I are in Ashtabula, Ohio this weekend for his baby sister's wedding (Congrats Nicole and Allen!).
The weather is beautiful and crisp, the people warm and friendly, the wedding party is excited, the bride relaxed and the groom only slightly jittery, and the rest of the day should go smoothly.
In the past 4 days, however, just my husband and I (in our relatively fuel-efficient late model Accord) have driven over 9 hours (approx. 1000+ miles).
On Monday I'll purchase a TerraPass to offset our trip (I've written about them before, but also check out this month's issue of INC. Magazine)...
I'll also be purchasing one to offset the flight to Amsterdam in January (and yep Carolyn, I will indeed continue blogging from the Netherlands).
Enviro-consciousness is increasingly a factor in business operations in other sectors (and some healthcare facilities are being LEED certified by the US Green Building Council) - but how far is the hospital industry going? And are we going there fast enough?
So here's the question of the week (and a nifty project for your Decision Support team): What would it take for your hospital (or place of work) to go carbon-neutral?
(Note: It will probably take longer to get a good estimate of your facility's carbon footprint than to purchase the credits to offset it, but firms like Terrapass can also help you calculate this figure).
And how would you communicate your carbon-neutral goal to staff, community members, and other stakeholders? How would you 'sell' the competitive advantage to your exec. staff and Board?
Consider also the tsunami effect; even when your facility achieves carbon neutrality, what time/effort/money would it take to push the initiative out through your web of suppliers?
How much would the hospital have to pay if it offered 'carbon neutrality' as a benefit to every employee as part of the standard HR package (along with PTO, retirement benefits, etc).
What sort of incentives could the hospital offer suppliers (medical equipment, food services, environmental/custodial, etc.) who agree to go carbon-neutral, or at least cover the carbon footprint of sales trips/delivery to your hospital?
An annual eco-awards program would be an interesting next-step as you develop enviro-conscious best practices for your facility.
The weather is beautiful and crisp, the people warm and friendly, the wedding party is excited, the bride relaxed and the groom only slightly jittery, and the rest of the day should go smoothly.
In the past 4 days, however, just my husband and I (in our relatively fuel-efficient late model Accord) have driven over 9 hours (approx. 1000+ miles).
On Monday I'll purchase a TerraPass to offset our trip (I've written about them before, but also check out this month's issue of INC. Magazine)...
I'll also be purchasing one to offset the flight to Amsterdam in January (and yep Carolyn, I will indeed continue blogging from the Netherlands).
Enviro-consciousness is increasingly a factor in business operations in other sectors (and some healthcare facilities are being LEED certified by the US Green Building Council) - but how far is the hospital industry going? And are we going there fast enough?
So here's the question of the week (and a nifty project for your Decision Support team): What would it take for your hospital (or place of work) to go carbon-neutral?
(Note: It will probably take longer to get a good estimate of your facility's carbon footprint than to purchase the credits to offset it, but firms like Terrapass can also help you calculate this figure).
And how would you communicate your carbon-neutral goal to staff, community members, and other stakeholders? How would you 'sell' the competitive advantage to your exec. staff and Board?
Consider also the tsunami effect; even when your facility achieves carbon neutrality, what time/effort/money would it take to push the initiative out through your web of suppliers?
How much would the hospital have to pay if it offered 'carbon neutrality' as a benefit to every employee as part of the standard HR package (along with PTO, retirement benefits, etc).
What sort of incentives could the hospital offer suppliers (medical equipment, food services, environmental/custodial, etc.) who agree to go carbon-neutral, or at least cover the carbon footprint of sales trips/delivery to your hospital?
An annual eco-awards program would be an interesting next-step as you develop enviro-conscious best practices for your facility.
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