Select a health care setting you want to focus on for your sustainability initiative (e.g., local hospital, veterans hospital, ambulance service, urgent care,
nursing home What I know most about!! My choice).
Analyze the setting you have selected and break it down to the main departments, employee roles, operating activities, and so on. While doing so, brainstorm opportunities to reduce costs or eliminate waste while improving patient care or outcomes.
Review the sustainable initiatives from the list below, and select one that you want to promote for your course project:
Energy efficiency
Lighting
IR scanning
Cogeneration
Kanban Inventory
Device exchange
CR pack reformation
Device reprocessing
Red bag waste reduction
Blue wrap recycling
Note: Ensure that the opportunity you select correlates with the setting you select. Additionally, if you want to complete a sustainable initiative that is not on the list, obtain approval from your instructor before completing the assignment.
Identify data sources you might need to collect and analyze for your initiative. Consider contacting people in the industry and at your organization who may be able to help.
Determine the costs and benefits associated with your plan. Consider the following:
Costs
Current costs (e.g., staffing, facility, operating, products, services)
Cost to implement initiatives (e.g., new equipment, new contracts or staff)
Cost projections after implementation
Social and environmental costs
Benefits
Cost savings
Increased efficiency
Fewer readmissions
Benefits over time (1 year, 5 years, 10 years, etc.)
Continue to Step 2: Initiative Proposal
Write a 525- to 700-word proposal of the sustainability initiative you want to promote at the health care setting you selected. Your proposal should:
Create a clear vision or mission statement that defines the scope of the initiative and would generate buy-in.
Define what outcomes you expect to achieve over time.
Briefly describe what strategies you can use to achieve these outcomes. Be specific with what you can realistically deliver.
Outline the costs and benefits associated with your plan.
Discuss any patterns or similarities you encountered among your resources.
Highlight any local, state, or national revenue sources that could be used.
Cite three reputable references to support your assessment (e.g., trade or industry publications, government or agency websites, scholarly works, or other sources of similar quality).
Format your citations according to APA guidelines.
