Asiri, first hospital in Sri Lanka to receive ISO 14001-2004

Asiri Surgical Hospital (ASH), the most technologically advanced private hospital in the country has received the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) 14001-2004 certification from the SGS United Kingdom Systems & Services Certification with due recognition form United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS), demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to environmental management.

This certification is indicative of the on-going processes and procedures that differentiate Asiri Hospitals as a preferred healthcare provider in the country.

The ISO certification has demonstrated the Hospital’s long term commitment to sustainable development as well as its outstanding innovation in healthcare activities.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Manjula Karunaratne, Director / Chief Operating Officer of Asiri Hospitals said, “We are delighted to achieve this certification, gaining recognition for our commitment to quality and to continuous improvement.

Being the first to receive this amongst all other healthcare providers in the country is indicative of our commitment and care-giving that makes us the leader in this industry.”

He added that Asiri Hospital Holdings PLC and Central Hospital (PVT) Ltd will be getting ISO 14001 certification by the end of September 2011.

ISO 14001- 2004 is an environmental management standard specifying a set of management requirements for environmental management systems. The purpose of this standard is to help organizations to protect the environment, to prevent pollution, and to improve their environmental performance. ISO 14001:2004 specifies requirements for an environmental management system to enable an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and information about significant environmental aspects.

It applies to those environmental aspects that the organization identifies as those which it can control and those which it can influence.

Mr. Batuvita Sumanasiri, Systems Certification Manager for ISO said, “This certification is given to an organization that has demonstrated environmental stewardship.

 This stewardship has to be inculcated in all the employees as well as all other partners who will, in turn, carry this message of environmental consciousness to the outside world.”

Asiri Surgical Hospital is responsible for promoting good practices in health services, management, training, healthcare policy and laboratory services.

 The Laboratory of Asiri Hospitals received ISO 9001:2008 certification from Moody International, UK for quality management systems which was the first time a private sector medical laboratory in Sri Lanka has received this prestigious certification.

It is also accredited for ISO 15189:2007 from SLAB whilst the Asiri Hospital Human Resources Department is certified for ISO 9001: 2008 for its quality management systems.

ASH considers environmental protection and the need to conduct an environmentally friendly business the central maxim for its corporate policy at all levels and targets continuous improvement of its environmental performance through its whole workforce.

From renewable to non-renewable resources, ASH focuses on all aspects of environmental protection from the continuous improvement of the energy efficiency of its buildings and how they integrate harmoniously with their surroundings, and the performance of its daily operations and ensures that all natural, energy and material resources are used efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way.

The hospital also requires this commitment from its customers and other strategic partners.

 Meanwhile the hospital has trained its staff to comply with the ISO standards and maintain environmental consciousness at all levels.