June 10, 2026
DENVER (June 10, 2026) — Denver Health has been recognized with the 2026 Greenhealth Champion Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare.
The award honors the health system’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its environmental performance and embedding sustainability across its operations, culture and patient‑care environment.
Practice Greenhealth noted Denver Health’s achievements amid a challenging national landscape for healthcare systems. The organization highlighted Denver Health’s continued progress in reducing waste, improving energy efficiency and advancing environmentally responsible practices that support community health.
“Denver Health values environmental stewardship, and this award reflects our commitment to promoting health in all spaces,” said Beth Gillespie, MD, hospitalist at Denver Health and chair of Physicians for Social Responsibility Colorado. “A healthy environment is essential for healthy people to thrive, and we are proud to continue this work on behalf of our patients and our community.”
Denver Health has worked toward greater sustainability for years and reached a major milestone in 2024, when it switched from centrally piped nitrous oxide supplied by large, always-open tanks to smaller, portable tanks located in operating rooms that can be shut off when not in use.
The change was driven by two key factors. Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas and an ozone depleting substance, and hospitals across the country lose large amounts of it through leaks.
