Cardinal Health 2009 Annual Report Download - page 19

Employees
As we begin this next chapter in our history as a healthcare
industry leader, we’ve taken a look at the way we think and act,
and — in doing so — we’ve reframed our values. We’ve re ned
the words we use to describe our company and the behaviors
we believe everyone we interact with should expect
from us — and what we expect from them — to best
meet our customers’ needs. Our new statements
focus on the essential attitudes, behaviors and actions
that will become the foundation for our future.
• We are tenacious in ful lling our commitments to customers.
• We are accountable for high performance and to each other.
• We are inventive and adaptable.
• We bring a sense of optimism, enthusiasm and
competitive spirit to our work.
• We are genuine, open, direct and respectful.
• We are inclusive and work together with con dence and trust.
• We can be trusted to do the right thing.
Communities
With medication safety and healthcare-associated
infections among the largest patient safety issues facing
healthcare organizations, the Cardinal Health Foundation
is proud to have once again supported institutions that
enhance patient safety and the quality of care.
In  scal 2009, the Foundation celebrated the second year of its
Patient Safety Grant Program by awarding $1 million in funding
for new and innovative programs to improve patient safety at
34 hospitals, health systems and community health clinics
across the country. We recently received initial outcome
reports from the  rst year of this program, and the
results are impressive. For example, one hospital used a
$35,000 grant to reduce venous thromboembolic disease
and reported a 40% reduction, saving $5 million.
On a regional level, the Foundation also invested $1.5 million to
support Solutions for Patient Safety, a statewide collaborative e ort
between the business community and 24 hospitals to improve
healthcare quality in Ohio.
Just as Cardinal Health is refocusing on its core businesses,
the Foundation will transition its focus to causes that are
of critical interest to our customers and employees, such
as prescription drug abuse. Knowing that the intentional
abuse of prescription medications is now one of the leading
forms of drug abuse among today’s teen population, the
Foundation will focus its resources to raise awareness of
the growing problem and help combat the issue.
Environment
Cardinal Health continues to focus on innovative ways
to lessen its environmental footprint. In March 2009, the
company celebrated the opening of its West Campus building
at its Dublin, Ohio, headquarters. Built under Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines,
it will be the  rst LEED-certi ed building in Dublin.
Operationally, we’re focusing on environmentally preferable
purchasing through strategic partnerships with various
green suppliers and identifying environmentally friendly
product alternatives. We’re also working to purchase
more energy e cient products and to buy products
with more recycled content and less packaging.
Within our Presource® business, we’ve already begun
seeking opportunities to reprocess single-use medical
devices in our packs. Over the last 12 months, we were able
to recycle nearly 10 million pounds of corrugate, plastics
and pallets — resulting in the equivalent of 500 fewer
construction-size dumpsters being sent to land lls.