[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 17, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF DR. JEFF THOMPSON FOR BEING NAMED A WHITE HOUSE HEALTH AND 
                       CLIMATE CHAMPION OF CHANGE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 17, 2013

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Jeff 
Thompson, CEO of Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin, for 
being honored as a White House Health and Climate Champion of Change. 
Dr. Thompson is not only a nationally recognized health care leader but 
he is also a visionary leader in promoting environmental responsibility 
for health care organizations. This Climate and Health Champion of 
Change award was given to a select group of national leaders who 
promote public health through such environmental stewardship.
   Dr. Thompson's record of extraordinary leadership starts with 
Gundersen's core mission of providing high-quality care to patients in 
western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, and northern Iowa. Dr. Thompson 
has been a leader in developing the type of coordinated, integrated and 
patient centered care that is the model for the direction we need to 
move our nation's health care system. His successful leadership can be 
seen through the long list of accolades Gundersen has received for 
their quality care and innovation, including being named one of 
Becker's Hospital Review 100 Integrated Health Systems to Know, winning 
Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinic Excellence for the 
6th consecutive year in 2013, ranking as the fourth safest hospital in 
the country as measured by Consumer Reports, and being named one of the 
100 Most Wired hospitals according to a report from Hospitals and 
Health Networks magazine. Dr. Thompson was also personally named one of 
the Top 100 Physician Leaders of Hospital and Health Systems by 
Becker's Hospital Review last year. The additional honor of being named 
a White House Health and Climate Champion of Change is further 
confirmation of the extraordinary role Gundersen Health, under Dr. 
Thompson's leadership, has taken to improve patient health and promote 
an environmentally sustainable health care system.
   Gundersen Health is setting the standard for how to make health 
systems environmentally responsible. They are on track to be 100 
percent energy independent in 2014. Gundersen partners with businesses 
and communities to encourage environmentally and economically 
sustainable business practices and economic growth. They are developing 
their own energy infrastructure, using equipment owned by the health 
system, instead of purchasing renewable power at premium rates. This 
initiative demonstrates their commitment to lowering the cost of 
healthcare for the people and businesses that pay for it through 
socially responsible and environmentally friendly means.
   Gundersen has invested in a wide variety of renewable energy 
programs, including a dairy digester, wind farms, biomass boiler, solar 
panels, and geothermal systems to provide a diverse portfolio of 
renewable resources to offer clean, green energy. Those initiatives are 
all directed toward the goal of making Gundersen the first fully energy 
independent hospital in the country by next year.
   Dr. Thompson has provided national leadership in changing the way 
health care is delivered in America toward a more quality, value based 
focus. Combined with his leadership in setting the national standard 
for promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability 
programs within health care systems, Dr. Thompson is very deserving of 
the White House Health and Climate Champion of Change award. It is with 
great pleasure that I congratulate Dr. Thompson on receiving this 
prestigious honor.

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