When a family member or friend is in the hospital, you just want them to get better. The main concern typically is not how much energy or water the hospital is using or the amount of waste the facility is generating. And who would blame you?

Leave that to the health care leaders behind the scenes, for whom providing lifesaving treatments in a way that minimizes the impact on the planet is top of mind. It takes a huge amount of natural resources to run emergency rooms, sterilize instruments and keep linens clean – which means we have a huge opportunity to increase sustainability across the health care sector.

Last week, thought leaders from across the country came together at the 3M Sustainability in Health Care Summit to share innovative best practices and help move the industry forward. With concerted effort, institutions are making great progress in reducing energy use and waste – and helping improve the social and economic health of the communities they serve – while saving money at the same time.

For example, Gundersen Health System reports it now produces more energy than it consumes. Practice Greenhealth offers information for networks to create “Healthier Hospitals.” We’re working together to make the dream of sustainable, quality patient care a reality. As a leader at a manufacturer of innovative, quality medical supplies, with a long history of sustainability, that’s one sort of “cure” I’m proud to be part of.