Page 7 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_January-2018
P. 7
Feature
North Carolina Hospitals Offer Breath of Fresh Air, Literally
TBy Stephanie Carson, N.C. Public News Service on air quality as it monitored the construction of Novant’s new
wo major hospital systems in North Carolina are Women’s Center in Matthews. The Environmental Protection
taking steps to make sure their communities and Agency estimates that every dollar spent on reducing diesel
patients breathe easier on their campuses. pollution results in $13 in public health benefits.
Beginning January 1, Carolinas HealthCare
Thomas Zweng, MD, chief medical officer with Novant Health,
System and Novant Health now require all construction championed Clean Air Carolina’s request from the beginning and
says the decision to reduce emissions on their campuses is in line
equipment on site to use the lowest exhaust-emitting machinery with his organization’s mission.
and promote anti-idling “We exist to improve the health of the communities one person
at a time, and foundational to that is that we all have clean water
“This is a major practices. The change and clean air,” says Zweng. “So it’s a natural alliance, a natural
came about after Clean partnership, to work with others in the community who are
focused on clean air.”
clean air win for public Air Carolina reached out
health, and we are to hospital leadership Carolinas HealthCare System has changed its policies
hoping other hospital to educate them about regarding construction equipment. Director of Environmental
systems across North the impact some Sustainability Solutions for the health system, Kady Cowan, says
Carolina will follow construction equipment construction happens on medical campuses more often that you
might imagine.
can have on air quality.
Clean Air Carolina “We are constantly renovating and expanding and changing our
facilities,” says Cowan. “The idea is to really start to look towards
Executive Director June market transformation and making sure that the most clean-
burning equipment is the equipment that is the most widely used
suit and take steps Blotnick explains, “This and available across Charlotte.”
to reduce diesel is a major clean air win
emissions on their for public health, and we According to the EPA, diesel exhaust contains more than 40
construction sites.” are hoping other hospital toxic pollutants and is a designated carcinogen by the World
systems across North Health Organization. Particulate matter found in the exhaust
contributes to asthma in vulnerable populations, as well as to
Carolina will follow suit climate change.
and take steps to reduce
diesel emissions on their
construction sites.”
The group worked with Novant Health on a study in 2016 to
demonstrate the impact hospital construction projects can have
Mecklenburg Medicine • January 2018 | 7