24/7
Always-on operations
Hospitals and clinics run nonstop, so even small changes add up.
Sustainability in healthcare
Deliver better care while lowering the footprint.
Healthcare providers manage energy-intensive facilities, clinical supply chains, and sensitive patient outcomes. This primer shows why sustainability matters in healthcare and how to get started.
What does sustainability in healthcare cover?
It unites clinical operations, buildings, fleets, waste, pharmaceuticals, supply chains, and community health so patients benefit from resilient systems.
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Critical dependencies
Pharmaceuticals, devices, and PPE rely on global suppliers.
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Highly regulated
Health departments, payers, and communities expect transparency.
Healthcare sustainability focus areas
Clinical facilities & energy. Improve HVAC, sterilisation, backup power, and fleets without risking care.
Supply chain & pharmaceuticals. Source lower-impact products, track cold-chain efficiency, and manage waste safely.
Patient & community wellbeing. Design programs that address climate-related health risks and equity.
Governance & reporting. Integrate sustainability metrics into board packs, accreditation, and public reporting.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why sustainability strengthens healthcare organisations
Patient safety. Resilient facilities withstand outages, storms, and supply disruptions.
Cost management. Efficient energy and waste programs free budget for care.
Community trust. Demonstrating climate and health leadership builds credibility.
Regulatory readiness. Accreditation bodies increasingly look for ESG data.
PLANNING
How to plan healthcare sustainability initiatives
- Map facilities and services. List hospitals, clinics, labs, and fleets, then capture their baseline footprints.
- Engage clinicians and suppliers. Co-design initiatives that respect infection control, quality, and procurement needs.
- Prioritise resilience and equity. Focus on initiatives that protect vulnerable patients and staff from climate risk.
- Integrate governance. Use RunSustainably to assign owners, approvals, and reporting cadences.
MEASUREMENT
Tracking healthcare sustainability progress
- Facility metrics. Track energy, water, waste, and refrigerants per bed or procedure.
- Supply risk signals. Log shortages, substitution plans, and supplier ESG performance.
- Patient & community outcomes. Measure how programs reduce heat stress, pollution exposure, or emergency visits.
- Governance evidence. Store approvals, audits, and disclosures in RunSustainably for accreditation teams.
Healthcare sustainability actions
Run a facility efficiency sprint. Start with energy-intensive areas such as operating theatres or imaging suites.
Standardise sustainable procurement questions. Add ESG clauses to RFPs and vendor reviews.
Create sustainability rounds. Invite clinicians to flag waste and improvement ideas during existing rounds.
GLOSSARY SNAPSHOT
Healthcare glossary snapshot
Decarbonised care pathway. Clinical workflows redesigned to cut emissions while protecting outcomes.
Pharmaceutical take-back. Programs that safely return unused medications to avoid environmental harm.
Climate-resilient health system. An organisation that can maintain care during extreme weather and long-term climate shifts.
FAQS
Sustainability in Healthcare FAQs
Why focus on sustainability in healthcare?
Because patient care depends on resilient facilities, reliable supplies, and healthy communities.
How do we avoid disrupting clinical workflows?
Co-design initiatives with clinicians and use pilots before scaling.
Do we need specialised metrics?
Start with familiar KPIs (energy per bed, waste per procedure) and evolve toward advanced health-equity indicators.
Where should ESG work sit?
Share ownership across facilities, procurement, clinicians, and sustainability teams, with board oversight.
Drova RunSustainably unites objectives, approvals, and reporting so industry teams stay aligned.
Ready to keep sustainability work visible?
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