Two Healthcare Organizations Honored for Integrated Pest Management Excellence

Two healthcare organizations were named 2012 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.

We are recognizing two healthcare providers that have gone above and beyond to collaborate with their Orkin teams in order to achieve pest management goals that are critical in protecting patients and staff, and surpassing Joint Commission standards, says Orkin director of quality systems Zia Siddiqi, PhD. By making their Orkin teams an extension of their staff, they have set themselves up for IPM success.
 
The 2012 Gold Medal IPM Partner Award winners in healthcare, selected from an elite group of nominees from across the country, are:

- St. Josephs/Candler Health System (Savannah, Ga.) A private, faith-based, not-for-profit health system featuring two of Georgias oldest hospitals: St. Josephs Hospital and Candler Hospital.

- Westminster-Thurber Community (Columbus, Ohio) - A not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community designed to meet the needs of older adults now and into the future with various levels of care: independent living apartment homes, assisted living, memory care, rehab and long-term care nursing.

The Gold Medal IPM Partner Awards began nine years ago as an effort by Orkin and the IPM Institute of North America to encourage the use of IPM and other environmentally friendly pest management practices. This is the second year the awards have honored healthcare providers.

In the second year of honoring healthcare providers with this award, weve seen a continued commitment to excellence in the preventive maintenance and sanitation practices that define a true IPM program, says Thomas Green, PhD, president of The IPM Institute of North America.

As a co-presenter of the awards, AHE brings a professional knowledge of the responsibilities and quality outcomes needed to maintain healthy communities in the healthcare environment.

 An effective IPM process offers the awareness, observation and cooperation necessary in the sensitive health care environment, says Greg May, director of environmental services, linen and sustainability at UC San Diego Health System. As a healthcare provider, its critical to meet Joint Commission requirements and help your facility minimize the risk of exposure to chemicals. Our healthcare winners have really made these requirements a top priority through their successful IPM programs.
 
The awards jury was comprised of:
- Gregory May, director of environmental services, linen and sustainability at UC San Diego Health System
- Austin M. Frishman, PhD, BCE, founder, AMF Pest Management Services, Inc.
- Dawn H. Gouge, PhD, associate professor and associate specialist - Community IPM, University of Arizona
- Thomas A. Green, PhD, president, the IPM Institute of North America, Inc.
- Ron Harrison, PhD, director of technical services, Orkin
- Frank Meek, BCE, international technical and training director, Orkin
- Zia Siddiqi, PhD, BCE, director of quality systems, Orkin