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Sutter Health Hospitals Recognized as Leaders in Waste Reduction and Environmental Safety

Affiliated Hospitals Honored for Exemplary Efforts to Protect Employees and Patients from Industry-Standard Mercury Products

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 21, 2005 – Two years after the State of California challenged hospitals to significantly reduce the amount of traditional medical products that contain mercury from inside their facilities, acute hospitals within the Sutter Health network have met that deadline. Sutter-affiliated hospitals have reduced their combined use of products containing mercury by almost half-a-ton (973 pounds) and are now "virtually mercury free" – the best standard that can be achieved.

"Sutter Health affiliates are dedicated to creating healthy and safe environments for their employees and patients," said Sutter Health Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer Michael Evans. "We were the first health provider network to participate with the California Department of Health Services (DHS) to implement the Healthcare Pollution Prevention Program and have significantly reduced the amount of these conventional mercury products in nearly all of our facilities."

At a special presentation, The Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and the DHS will present Sutter Health hospitals with banners recognizing their exemplary efforts. Hospitals receiving this prominent award are:

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Ashby Campus
Herrick Campus

California Pacific Medical Center
Davies Campus
Pacific Campus
Eden Medical Center
Marin General Hospital/Novato Community Hospital
Memorial Medical Center Modesto
Memorial Hospital Los Banos
Mills-Peninsula Health Services
St. Luke’s Hospital
Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital
Sutter Coast Hospital
Sutter Davis Hospital
Sutter Delta Medical Center
Sutter General Hospital
Sutter Lakeside Hospital
Sutter Medical Center Santa Rosa
Sutter Memorial Hospital
Sutter Roseville Medical Center
Sutter Solano Medical Center
Sutter Tracy Community Hospital

"Your network has demonstrated that effective environmental stewardship starts and ends with managers and staff who take actions to preserve the environment and protect public health," said DTSC Acting Director Leonard Robinson. "Too often, when organizations adopt measures and techniques that protect the environment, those efforts go unnoticed. This certificate is our way of recognizing and commending Sutter hospitals' achievements," Robinson added.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. But when fever thermometers, blood pressure cuffs and other products that contain mercury are thrown away by medical providers across the world, they become waste. Certain prolonged exposure to mercury waste can adversely affect reproductive function and the nervous system.

"Virtually mercury free" means facilities have fully replaced thermometers and the other vast number of products that traditionally use mercury with modern substitutes that don't contain mercury.

For a complete listing of all of the Sutter hospitals mercury reductions please visit www.dtsc.ca.gov/HarardousWaste/Mercury/

"Hospitals across the Sutter Health network deserve high praise for their steadfast dedication to removing pollution from health care products and practices," said Evans. "And we're not done yet. Sutter Health is committed to making all our facilities "virtually mercury free," and our medical foundations are now beginning the process."

Contact
Kami Lloyd
(916) 286-6680 (work)
(916) 847-6621 (cell)
lloydk@sutterhealth.org