Two Health Care Providers Honored for Integrated Pest Management Excellence
Two health care organizations have been named 2011 Gold Medal™ IPM Partner Award winners by Orkin, The IPM Institute of North America and the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) for their outstanding commitment to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) partnerships.
IPM is an environmentally friendly pest management approach that emphasizes multiple methods of non-chemical pest control and prevention. The two winning facilities were honored for their adherence to comprehensive IPM programs that focus on vigilant sanitation, prompt adherence to structural pest management recommendations, diligent record keeping and staff participation in IPM training sessions.
“The key to any successful IPM program is partnership,” said Orkin Director of Quality Systems Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D. “The health care providers that we have honored this year have gone the extra mile to work with their Orkin teams to achieve pest management goals that are critical in protecting patients and staff, and surpassing Joint Commission standards.”
The 2011 Gold Medal™ IPM Partner Award winners in health care, selected from an elite group of nominees from across the country, are:
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St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System (Savannah, Ga.) – A private, faith-based, not-for-profit health system featuring two of Georgia’s oldest hospitals: St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital.
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Westminster-Thurber Community
(Columbus, Ohio) - A Continuing Care Retirement Community that offers assisted living, apartment homes, rehab, long-term care and home care.
The Gold Medal
“We are thrilled to welcome health care providers to our circle of winners this year,” said Thomas Green, Ph.D., president of The IPM Institute of North America. “By working proactively to prevent pests and thus minimize any chemical treatments, these winners give us textbook examples of IPM done well.”
AHE joins the Awards this year as a co-presenter, bringing a professional knowledge of the responsibilities and quality outcomes needed to maintain healthy communities in the health care environment.
“Sensitive health care environments call for sensitive pest management,” said Laura Brannen, Environmental Consultant for AHE. “As a health care provider, it’s critical to meet Joint Commission requirements and help your facility minimize the risk of exposure to chemicals. Our health care winners have really made these requirements a top priority through their successful IPM programs.”
About the Awards Jury
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Laura Brannen, Environmental Consultant, Association for the Healthcare Environment
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Austin M. Frishman, Ph.D., B.C.E., Founder, AMF Pest Management Services, Inc.
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Dawn H. Gouge, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Associate Specialist - Community IPM, University of Arizona
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Thomas A. Green, Ph.D., President, The IPM Institute of North America, Inc.
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Ron Harrison, Ph.D., Director of Technical Services, Orkin, LLC
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Frank Meek, BCE, International Technical and Training Director, Orkin, LLC
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Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D., BCE, Director of Quality Systems, Orkin, LLC
About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. With more than 400 locations, Orkin’s almost 8,000 employees serve approximately 1.7 million customers. The company serves homeowners and numerous industries, including food and beverage processing, foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, retail, warehousing, property/facilities management, schools and institutions. Orkin is proud to be recognized by the National Pest Management Association as a QualityPro and GreenPro-certified company, addressing not only our customer’s pest control needs, but also their concern for protecting the environment. Learn more about Orkin at http://orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL).
About The IPM Institute of North America
The IPM Institute of North America, Inc. is an independent non-profit organization formed in 1998 to foster recognition and rewards in the marketplace for goods and service providers who practice IPM. The Institute’s mission is to accelerate adoption of IPM in agriculture and communities through consumer education and development of IPM standards for self-evaluation and IPM certification. The Institute is funded by grants from government, private foundations and industry, memberships and fees for services and programs. Learn more at www.ipminstitute.org.
About AHE
AHE represents, defines, and advances the professionals responsible for care of the patient environment to ensure quality patient outcomes and healthy communities. A professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, AHE serves more than 2,400 members. AHE provides education, networking and recognition for personal and professional achievements as well as collaboration with the AHA on public policy and advocacy issues related to the healthcare environment.