The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes Samaritan Health Services for achieving DOE 50001 Ready recognition at two of its hospitals: Samaritan Albany General Hospital (Albany) and Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital (Lebanon), each named for the Oregon city in which they are based.
Financial and operational sustainability were key motivators for Albany’s and Lebanon’s pursuit of 50001 Ready status. Reductions in consumption led to reduced costs, and equipment upgrades reduced the risk of equipment failure.
Minimizing costs and maximizing equipment reliability is essential for healthcare facilities. Customer satisfaction and patient comfort were among the two hospitals’ top reasons for engaging with the 50001 Ready program. Energy-efficient HVAC, for example, not only reduces operational costs but increases patient and customer comfort as well. Additionally, Albany and Lebanon were keenly aware that hospitals are significant consumers of energy and sought to shrink their carbon footprints and impact on natural resources, aiming for a 2% annual reduction in energy use over the next five years.
Given the rise of healthcare costs and the ever-evolving nature of reimbursements, healthcare systems have a strong incentive to reduce operating costs, and increased energy efficiency is one pathway toward this goal.
DOE’s 50001 Ready program, managed by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), provides a self-paced, no-cost way for organizations to build a culture of structured energy improvement that leads to deeper and more sustained energy savings.
Learn more about energy management at Samaritan Health Services hospitals in Albany and Lebanon.