[From Healthcare Purchasing News] When it comes to progressing toward and implementing environmentally responsible contracting and purchasing of sustainable products and services, a small percentage of forward-thinking "green"-minded healthcare organizations have been making some waves.

Through their individual philosophies and projects, they have been carrying the flag for sustainability in healthcare, which they promote as fitting hand-in-glove from a missional standpoint.

Their efforts motivated and paved the way for propelling sustainability to the next level in a more prominent role.

Back in May, Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm put their green efforts into overdrive, tapping two veteran group purchasing organization executives to found Greenhealth Management. John Strong, former head of the heritage Premier Health Alliance (now part of Premier Inc.) and later Consorta (now part of HealthTrust), and Mary Starr, previously a key leader in Consorta, HealthTrust and University HealthSystem Consortium (now part of Vizient), used Greenhealth Management to launch Greenhealth Exchange, a supply chain support services organization designed for strategic sourcing, contracting and purchasing sustainable products and services for healthcare provider organizations that join it. (Continue Reading)