SPECIAL FOCUS Sustainability strives for attention,


priority in pandemic-stricken world But some link sustainability to resilience by Rick Dana Barlow


H


istorically, it should be no secret that sustainability as an aim, issue and management priority has struggled to gain a solid foothold among the key tent- poles of business operations.


This year, against the backdrop of a global pandemic that has shaken the very foundation of supply chain performance, is no eception even as the clinical, fi nancial, operational, administrative and supply chain responses to COVID-19 shuffles sustainability lower down the priority list. Sustainability supporters and promoters, however, remain dedicated, devoted, pas- sionate, resilient, resolute and undaunted.


Sustainability matters Zoë Beck, Manager, Sus- tainability, HealthTrust, acknowledges the chal- lenges the pandemic has wrought but assures that the commitment to sustain- ability remains steadfast. “Realistically, most hos-


COVID can help health systems to be more sustainable and resilient in the future,” she concluded.


The pandemic offers up a wealth of teachable moments for everyone, accord- ing to Rob Chase, Founder and President, NewGen Surgical.


“The pandemic has


caused everyone, in healthcare and in soci- ety, to change what they are doing and to adjust priorities,” Chase noted. “However, the pandemic has also ignited a renewed


their environmental footprint by minimiz- ing waste.” By “going green,” Indiveri added, health-


Rob Chase Zoë Beck


pitals have not been able to focus on sus- tainability due to pressing issues to keep hospitals open, functioning and safe for patients and staff,” Beck told Healthcare Purchasing News. “However, what hospitals have been doing as a result of the pandemic can be lessons moving forward for what is important for future resiliency. Sustainabil- ity plays a huge role in this. Beck points to value lessons learned. “While the healthcare industry has dealt with huge issues in terms of supply avail- ability, facilities have been able to be innova- tive in the ways they conserve, obtain and stock supplies,” she said. “These lessons can be useful for the future as hospitals look at ways to ensure they have a robust supply chain. They have learned ways in which they can use fewer products, reprocess products that have not traditionally been reprocessed, monitor use of products and possibly move purchasing to more local manufacturers. hile sustainability has most defi nitely not been the focus, the lessons learned from


focus on how healthcare can recover as more resilient and sustainable. You saw not only the real challenges to a supply chain that was not ready, but the actual plastic pollution of the PPE in front of us on the streets and in the water. The pandemic has forced us all to re ect on the interconnectedness of humans, the environment and our health. There is an increased awareness of the need to take action in support of sustainable initiatives to protect the foundation of all health – a healthy environment.”


Although the pandemic has disrupted many facets of life, according to Cristina Indiveri, Senior Director, Strategic Pro- grams, Vizient, healthcare organizations are seeking environmentally preferred purchasing strategies based on consumption behaviors and patterns. “Prior to the pandemic, it was routine for healthcare organizations to utilize


Cristina Indiveri


disposable products, especially PPE,” she observed. “Now, healthcare organizations have found ways to safely reuse what would normally be considered single-use items like N95 respirators. In addition, hospitals are also integrating other reus- able items such as gowns, bouffant caps, skull caps, fabric masks and shoe covers. Utilizing reusable products also reduces


10 November 2020 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


care organizations are fi nding that using reusable items can lower costs in the long term “by factoring in the return on invest- ment instead of upfront costs.” Andrew Knox, Manager, Environ- mentally Preferred Products, Premier, understands the dilemmas that clinicians, administrators and supply chain profes- sionals have been facing for the last nine months at least, particularly as COVID-19 challenged sustainability efforts. “It has been all hands on deck for health- care providers as they work tirelessly to care for patients and ensure they have the critical products and supplies they need to do so,” Knox noted. “In this environment, anything that is not an immediate priority has had to wait its turn.”


But the pandemic should serve as an impetus to act and not an excuse to post- pone and wait.


“Sustainability is central to the mission of the healthcare industry,” Knox insisted, “and the pandemic only reinforces its importance. For example, several recent studies have suggested a link between the severity of COVID-19 infections and local levels of air pollution, and the stress on supply chains for disposable materials has certainly highlighted the dangers of relying too heavily on single-use items.” The pandemic reinforces heightened awareness, Knox emphasizes.


“Healthcare is beginning to truly under- stand its environmental footprint – and with an increasing awareness of the need to set aside competitive boundaries and work together to promote and encourage participation in green initiatives,” he said. “Practice Greenhealth, a non-profit that helps embed sustainability into healthcare operations, and the Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN), which focuses on local impacts of large healthcare institutions, have been essential in fostering meaningful collaboration.”


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