Keeping Pace with Sustainability Guidelines

With the healthcare sector being one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters1, there is a need for change. But keeping pace with sustainability guidelines and regulations is often a delicate balancing act between doing what’s right for the environment and doing what’s right for the healthcare system.

The ever-changing guidelines and regulations surrounding sustainability and climate change targets are also a challenge. So, what can the healthcare sector do to keep up? And, how can MedTech suppliers help hospital organizations overcome regulatory barriers?

Sustainability guidelines - the scale of the problem

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), a non-profit network of European hospital organizations, estimates that if healthcare were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter on earth. In the absence of appropriate action, global healthcare emissions are expected to triple by 2050 compared to 2014, reaching an astounding six gigatons a year2. The HCWH report suggests that for Europe, greenhouse gas emissions have common origins (see graphic)2.

Tackling this problem must start with small changes that generate an impact over time. Let’s look at some examples and see where MedTech suppliers like Olympus may be able to help.

The goal of climate-neutral healthcare

Effective waste management in healthcare

As surgical procedures outside of the operating room have increased, so has the amount of waste generated in community healthcare settings. Olympus aims to help hospital organizations reduce the waste-related carbon footprint by offering reusable medical devices. Internally, Olympus is committed to reaching the goal of Carbon neutrality by 2030, using impactful reduction measures including enhanced packaging efficiency3.

Making procurement more sustainable

Olympus is passionate about providing environmentally sound goods and services and has integrated green procurement to help safeguard hospital organizations3. As a MedTech supplier committed to environmental health, Olympus strives to: improve environmental health and safety performance; comply with current laws and regulations; reduce environmental impact through all business activities; and ensure transparency in the sharing of information about environmental safety and health activities.

Efficient resource management in healthcare

Efficient use of energy can be improved through regular maintenance of energy-consuming equipment. Using a MedTech supplier like Olympus can help battle the ongoing energy efficiency crisis in healthcare through proper maintenance, ensuring that the lifespan of equipment is extended and its carbon footprint reduced.

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Summary

Utilizing partnerships with medical equipment providers may help to address the growing need for hospital organizations to act upon sustainability driven regulations. With support strategies for the healthcare sector in place, hospital organizations can better cope with the demands of ever-evolving sustainability guidelines.

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References

1.??Healthcare's climate footprint. ARUP (2019) (https://www.arup.com/perspectives/publications/research/section/healthcares-climate-footprint

2.??Health care climate footprint report. Health Care Without Harm ( https://noharm-europe.org/ClimateFootprintRepor t

CSR Data Book 2020. Olympus Global. csr_db_2020.pdf (olympus-global.com)