M A R C H 2 0 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 1
There are many possibilities for
greening a surgical facility,
ranging from large, sweeping,
expensive projects to small,
focused, virtually free workplace
hacks. Whether you spend hun-
dreds of thousands of dollars, or a
whole lot less, there are many
things you can do to reduce your
facility's carbon footprint.
Add LED lighting. Back in
2011, Boston (Mass.)
Medical Center was launching a
campus consolidation project that
involved a lot of renovation and rethinking. Becoming more sustain-
able in every area possible was a priority. Green energy savings were
accounted for when the campus consolidation was costed out. As
part of the project, BMC converted almost completely to energy-sav-
ing LED bulbs, which are more expensive, but last longer and are
more efficient. BMC installed 30 LED lights in its new hybrid operat-
ing room, and 30,000 LED lights all told throughout campus.
Change anesthetic gases. BMC, like a growing number of sur-
gical facilities, has moved away from desflurane in favor of
sevoflurane because of the former's relatively huge carbon footprint.
Dave Maffeo, BMC's senior director of support services, says using
desflurane for a two-hour surgery has the same environmental
impact as driving a car 756 miles, as opposed to 16 miles using an
equivalent dose of sevoflurane. "It's huge for organizations that want
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10 Sustainable Solutions for Your ORs
• CHAMPION FOR A CAUSE Polly Woodworth, RN, recycles
packing material during a procedure at Boston Medical Center.
Boston
Medical
Center
ECO-FRIENDLY IDEAS
