8 Main Drivers of Sustainability in Health Care
By Beth Rush
Health industry experts are taking the Hippocratic oath outside of their clinics. The concept of doing no harm to patients can apply to each practice’s environmental effects, given how climate change adversely affects all living things’ well-being.
You may see more sustainability in health care services in your hometown as medical professionals adopt the same perspective. Discover the initiatives gaining the most attention to uncover what you might see at your doctor’s office.
1. Energy Efficiency Resources
Supplies that use less electricity are easy to find. Clinics and hospitals can invest in budget-friendly options like light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. LED lighting uses 75% less energy than incandescent alternatives, immediately making any space more eco-friendly.
Appliances that minimize their electricity usage and smart thermostats are simple upgrades that reduce any property’s power bill, minimizing its emissions even if it operates around the clock.
2. Remote Monitoring Capabilities
People have to burn fossil fuels to access in-person medical care. Although the planetary effects of an annual checkup are minimal, other patients need continual appointments for long-term care. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has become one of the leading drivers behind sustainability in health care because it addresses that common need.
Doctors can log into their RPM tools to observe a patient’s vital signs whenever necessary. The equipment can even read vital signs from up to eight feet away, so patients don’t always have to remain attached to the machinery.
Patients won’t need to burn fossil fuels to reach checkup appointments. They can also get medical attention anytime, streamlining their care and reducing wait times at overcrowded clinics or hospitals.
3. Waste Management Options
U.S. health care facilities generate around 5.9 million tons of waste annually, which fills landfills quickly. While some contaminated waste isn’t reusable, others could become recycled goods. Paper, plastic containers and glass bottles can reach recycling facilities if health care centers partner with local waste management companies.
The extra step can improve the planetary impact of any medical clinic or hospital, especially as recycling centers become more widely available in both urban and rural areas.
4. Eco-Friendly Procurement Partnerships
Medical professionals depend on reliable procurement processes to stock the materials they need. Unfortunately, you may find chemical supplies in clinics that don’t partner with eco-friendly suppliers.
Ask your health care providers how they approach their procurement partnerships. Many industry leaders are turning to environmentally friendly products to improve their services for their patients and the planet.
5. Water Conservation Possibilities
Water is crucial in health care settings. Hospitals use an average of 140 cubic meters daily for washing supplies, treating patients and providing cafeteria services. Eliminating that need isn’t possible, but health care teams can reduce their usage to offer more sustainable operational standards.
Low-flow faucets and rainwater harvesting are two opportunities for long-term results. Improved plumbing maintenance can make systems more efficient as well. Depending on that location’s needs and budget, you could see similar updates at your doctor’s office.
6. Green Construction Projects
Medical teams with bigger budgets may schedule eco-friendly renovations. Upgraded buildings drive sustainability in health care because numerous green construction possibilities exist. Adding more windows would make it easier to depend on natural lighting during the brightest times of the day.
Installing solar panels, energy-efficient windows and even greener concrete in parking lots are all possibilities you could see at health care facilities in your hometown.
7. Lower Carbon Transportation
Transportation methods are foundational parts of medical services. Ambulances help people access medical care daily, but they generate around 22 kilograms of carbon emissions per call response. Other transportation options, like parking lot buses at large hospitals, also contribute carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere.
Solutions are available due to improving technology. You might ride an electric bus around a hospital parking lot the next time you visit a recovering loved one. Electric and hybrid ambulances are also becoming more widely available.
Even lower carbon shipping methods support green initiatives in the medical industry, although those may be harder to spot if you’re not actively involved in the procurement process.
8. Rising Consumer Interest
Research shows that 78% of Americans favor a sustainable lifestyle, and that means they’ll likely choose services aligning with those green values. Industry leaders know that green projects attract a large potential patient base, so they’re making industry updates to appeal to those consumers.
While those providers save more money on their electricity and water bills, they also stand to gain more revenue from sustainably minded patients who book appointments with them.
Enacting eco-friendly clinic updates is good for business in numerous ways, which may encourage more providers in your hometown to do the same.
Anticipate Evolving Sustainability in Health Care
People will stay healthier when the planet is a better place to live. As you learn about the ongoing fight against global warming, you can look for greener medical services in your region.
Many clinics and hospitals are becoming more eco-friendly to save money, appeal to additional patients, and support everyone’s well-being between appointments. If you know what to look for, you’ll understand how much progress is happening in your local medical community.
About the author: Beth Rush is the green wellness editor at Body+Mind, where she covers topics like the power of climate consciousness at all stages of education. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth!