fbpx

Waveny’s Green Wave: Safety and Sustainability in Action

The use of the terms “sustainable” or “sustainability” for Waveny LifeCare’s network of healthcare providers has historically related to Waveny’s ability to continually fund over $4 million of Charity and Uncompensated Care per year for the most vulnerable citizens and family members of our communities, when either they had exceeded medical insurance coverages or their savings had waned.

Today, sustainability goes much further for our organization, as we continually invest to promote healthy communities and reduced carbon footprints. Beyond healthcare and wellness, Waveny is continually unlocking the value of technology to make our campuses safer and more efficient for our patients, residents, clinical and professional partners, staff and communities.

Farm Road Solar Energy Panel Installations

Waveny’s Farm Road campus in New Canaan, CT, which houses its renowned short-term physical rehabilitation program, long-term care, and memory care facilities is actively installing solar panels. Solar energy is clean, abundant and one of the most sustainable energy resources on the planet. It’s also the world’s fastest growing energy supply, though it accounts for only about 2% of the U.S.’ total electricity sources.

Waveny’s advanced Solar energy design:

  1. Reduces our dependence on heating oil and fossil fuels by approximately 25%;
  2. Maximizes our productivity as all possible roof surfaces are covered;
  3. Is actively monitored electronically, and through an integrated computer system to maximize effectiveness;
  4. Is pollution-free and causes no greenhouse gas emissions;
  5. Is productive even on cloudy days; and,
  6. Yields a high return on investment.

While the campus has full generator backup, by capturing the sun’s light (photons) and converting it to electricity, it will become one of Waveny’s most valuable resources to power our most critical medical, operational and security needs that keep our beloved clients comfortable and secure.

We selected a 660 unit solar panel system that truly delivers on the promise of sustainable energy. It will provide reliable, scalable power, while honoring the environment and the needs of both current and future Waveny families for generations to come.

We expect that over a 25 year term, the system will produce estimated utility cost savings in excess of $500,000. This is equivalent to taking nearly 900 homes off the “grid”, or 6,713,500 lbs. of avoided CO2 emissions.

Expected installation completion is November 2021, pending final approvals from the Town of New Canaan and Eversource.

Accushield Sign-in & Health Screening Kiosks

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in dramatic health management and cultural changes, and will continue to have a profound effect on healthcare providers’ operations and exposure risks. Waveny LifeCare’s network of providers have emerged stronger and more resilient, with robust, clinically proven approaches to patient care, comprehensive testing & protection, infection control and preventive safety measures.

Many new technologies hit the industry in Phase One of the pandemic. Many promised, but did not necessarily deliver another level of protection or screening, and few had proven results. Like the novel virus that continues to mutate, as technologies advance, Waveny’s Clinical Committees continue to monitor, activate, and evaluate for effectiveness and performance.

Our newest implementation is the installation of the Accushield visitor and staff sign-in and health screening kiosk array across the Waveny LifeCare Network campuses. A unit will be fully operational at each Waveny location: the Care Center, Village, The Inn in New Canaan; and, our Home Care and Hospice facilities in Wilton.

As COVID-19 continues to be a fast-moving challenge, these newer devices create a valuable prevention, monitoring and tracking system for patients, residents, visitors, physicians and staff alike. A key benefit is their integration ability with existing Waveny systems to increase our productivity, safety and health surveillance capabilities.

Key features:

Streamlined staff & visitor sign in and COVID-19 screening;

Data analytics, measurement & reporting;

Secure, touch-free QR code sign in via app;

Vaccination type monitoring and outside community exposure risk reductions; and,

COVID-19 vaccination status recognition.

Visitors who are not allowed to enter the building due to screening, may still visit their loved one remotely through one of our many virtual technologies. We will continue to keep our patients, residents, families and community fully informed as we implement new technologies to increase health and wellness across all of our Waveny campuses.

While we have monitored and tested these prototypes well before the pandemic, they continue to advance and become more accurate and effective. We will ensure that we maintain cutting edge and proven technologies that help keep us agile, resilient, and one step ahead of future challenges—all while better positioning our organization to enhance quality of care, client wellness, and stakeholder satisfaction.