Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA
Driving Environmental Impact Through Daily EVS Operations
Providence Saint John’s Health Center (PSJHC), part of the Providence Health network, has long been committed to aligning operational excellence with environmental stewardship. The Environmental Services (EVS) team has made sustainability a cornerstone of daily operations, leading with staff engagement and continuous improvement in ecoconscious practices.
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100
compliance on sustainability & EVS audits maintained
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15
boost in device collection rates
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100
rating achieved on EVS operations review
The facility was honored with the Practice Greenhealth “Greenhealth Partner for Change Award," recognizing superior environmental performance across multiple sustainability categories. This award highlights Saint John’s as a model site within Providence’s sustainability network.
The Challenge
Hospitals face unique sustainability challenges—balancing infection control, patient safety, and operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
At Saint John’s, the EVS department recognized opportunities to reduce waste, optimize product selection, and improve compliance with systemwide sustainability goals.
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Infection Control
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Patient Safety
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Operational Efficiency
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Reduce Environmental Impact
Initiatives and Programs
• Prioritized procurement of green-certified cleaning agents and low-emission equipment wherever feasible.
• Commodity Separation: Introduced single-stream recycling in one staffcontrolled pilot area, with plans for phased expansion hospital-wide.
• Medical Device Collection Contest: Engaged staff through friendly competition, boosting device collection rates by 15%, supporting Providence’s network-wide 75% goal.
• Regular “Green Rounds” and team check-ins to identify new opportunities for waste and energy reduction.
• Maintained full compliance with Providence’s sustainability and waste management policies.
Outcomes
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• Increased use of sustainable and green-certified products, showing consistent year-over-year growth.
• Improved microfiber laundering efficiency, reducing chemical use and environmental impact.
• Expanded staff training hours focused on green practices through ongoing Green Team initiatives.
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• Increased waste diversion from landfill through expanded recycling and medical device recovery efforts.
• Greater adoption of low-emission and battery-electric equipment across EVS operations.
• Achieved measurable cost savings through reduced chemical and waste usage, with continued optimization expected.
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• Maintained 100% compliance on sustainability and EVS audits.
• Strengthened overall sustainability culture and contributed directly to hospital-wide environmental performance goals.