Beginning January 2024, both Joint Commission accredited and nonaccredited hospitals and health systems can begin to pursue the voluntary sustainable healthcare certification, according to a Sept. 18 news release.
The new certification was born out of “requests from healthcare organizations that want to accelerate their sustainable practices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” according to the release.
The program encourages hospitals to set baseline goals to measure three areas of greenhouse gas emissions and then subsequently develop and implement a plan to reduce them.
“Decarbonization also is an imperative for improving healthcare equity and patient safety, as the individuals least able to compensate for the effects of the climate are already burdened with adverse social determinants of health,” the release states.
In addition to the program, The Joint Commission has also created a resource center for organizations to explore tools and strategies to help guide them along their journey to achieve the new certification.
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