Great River Health announced it has received the Environmental Excellence Award from Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions. This designation is reserved for select hospitals that demonstrate outstanding leadership in healthcare sustainability and overall hospital quality through single-use device (SUD) reprocessing. 
In 2023, Great River Health’s reprocessing program successfully diverted 5,630 pounds of medical waste from landfills and reduced its supply costs by $105,000.
“Stryker is pleased to honor Great River Health’s continued dedication to achieving both environmental and financial sustainability,” said Natalie Ward, Vice President/General Manager of Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions. “With a heightened focus on improving value in today’s healthcare environment, Great River Health leads by example with their commitment to sustainability initiatives that reduce costs and optimize resources to support quality care.”
Leading hospitals across the nation are continuing to pursue initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare delivery. Among these initiatives, SUD reprocessing stands out as an environmental practice that not only dramatically reduces the amount of medical waste, but at the same time frees significant resources for the hospital – all without capital investment.
Great River Health is in the distinguished company of other leading hospitals implementing reprocessing programs. Reprocessing programs are currently employed by nearly all the U.S. News & World Report “Honor Roll” hospitals.
The Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center Auxiliary donated $107,600 to hospital projects on the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center West Burlington and Fort Madison campuses. 
Hospital departments submitted donation requests and the following projects were chosen for funding to enhance patient and family experiences:
- Klein Center elder activities.
- Patio umbrellas, recordable books, and recordable bears for Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice.
- Art Therapy and Music Therapy for Behavioral Health patients.
- Donor Breast Milk for infants in need.
- Halo Sleep Sacks for newborns.
- Books and activities for the Pediatric Unit.
- Artwork for the Pediatric Unit, waiting rooms in Surgical Services, and Clinics.
- Supplies to make comfort pillows for surgical patients.
- Wheelchairs and wheelchair oxygen tank holders.
- Education Library Resources for Palliative Care patients.
- LUCAS automated chest compression machine.
- New patient robes for mammography clients.
- New MRI music system.
- Concrete flower planters for entrances.
- Plants and flowers for indoor and outdoor planters.
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center Auxiliary helps meet the hospital’s needs by providing financial support for programs that benefit patients and families and awarding scholarships to students pursuing healthcare careers.