PRODUCT & SERVICE LINE REPORTS Healthcare contributes 10% of the total U.S.
CO2 emissions.
“The United Nations has developed the ‘Sustainable Development Goals,’ which are a roadmap for society to become more sustainable,” Chase continued. “These goals can be a roadmap for healthcare as well [with] SDG 12 responsible consump- tion and production. Bring the C-suite into these conversations and discuss how your healthcare facility can be part of the solution to climate change, just through your purchasing decisions and integration of environmentally preferable products. Small changes in what you buy can have a huge cumulative impact in lowering your facility’s environmental footprint, and also stimulate demand in the market for suppli- ers to create more sustainable product solu- tions. In terms of ownership, we all need to take ownership in solving our industries and society’s problems. However, given the influential role of supply chain leaders, they are in a great position to create a positive impact and make a difference for us now and for future generations.”
Sweat the small stuff
A comprehensive, but granular perspective may be necessary for Supply Chain to make its case for sustainability leadership. “Ownership and responsibility for man- aging sustainability must begin with a clear understanding of the choices and protocols that promote the best outcomes, encourage stewardship and assure sustainable use of medical devices and supplies,” said Richard Radford, CEO, Cenorin LLC. “The supply chain in healthcare is an immensely complex sys- tem that is influenced by many cost sources, market forces, inventory manage- ment methods, product types and by how prod- ucts are used. Financial accounting should include
Richard Radford
the associated book-end costs related to inbound freight and waste disposal. Unfortunately, typical hospital cost analysis fails to include all direct, indirect and exter- nal costs related to utilizing a product for its natural life and then disposing of it cor- rectly. Workflow processes and transit times that an individual product type may encounter are another under-recognized variable cost associated with its use. “The most effective way to make a suc- cessful argument is to present the facts as they exist in the organization, which may not necessarily be apparent to those
focused on solving a higher-level problem,” he continued. “In our experience, supply chain and inventory management account- ing does not include all related costs in the analysis. In many cases these costs are siloed in different parts of the data collec- tion or are not accounted for at all. It would seem to me that professionals in supply chain management could come together and develop a comprehensive list of cost sources that would lead to a more accurate and thorough understanding of absolute/ total costs.” Categorizing devices and products may
offer significant benefits for sustainability efforts, according to Radford.
“It may also be useful to review medical devices by product type, material construc- tion or professional classification, and to recommend processing techniques that might optimize full life use and minimize costs,” he advised. “For example, the costs associated with single-patient-use (SPU) and disposable devices is an extraordinary financial burden for healthcare provid- ers. Twenty years ago, this was the basis for the FDA approving the use of third- party reprocessors. Their success has been remarkable in lowering hospital costs for many device types.”
But Radford acknowledges that third-
party reprocessors are not the sole solution. “Hospitals need to know that they can
significantly reduce P device costs by applying new approaches that directly address specific medical devices with reprocessable component materials and appropriate reprocessing products and pro- tocols. The cost-saving opportunity may be in the billions nationwide. Moreover, prod- uct and process solutions to address this opportunity are currently approved and available. These approaches are systematic and include a tried-and-true, integrated process to clean, high-level disinfect, and thoroughly dry the devices, along with elec- tronic documentation for the entire process by individual device.”
Dan McGown, Northeast Coordinator, Mattress Recycling Council, indicates the C-suite concentrates on one key area. “The C-suite is primarily focused on cost analysis,” he said. “If the sustainable alternative isnt specifically a lower upfront cost, the Mattress Recycling Council would provide your facilities or housekeeping manager or your sustainability officer with information on how your institution can save money by recycling your old mattress. If you are located in California, Connecticut or Rhode Island there will be no disposal fee
48 November 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
hpnonline.com
to get rid of your old mattresses. There is no cost to your institution. Put simply, its free.” Healthcare needs to recognize its own
footprint and impact on the environ- ment, surmises Andy Marshall, CEO, Sterilis Solutions.
“Healthcare in the United States produces more than 5.9 million tons of biohazardous medical waste each year,” he said. “In addi- tion to the tremendous amount of waste that healthcare spaces and laboratories pro- duce, they also use 10 times more energy and four times more water than typical office spaces.
“Since Sterilis Solutions deals directly with hazardous medical waste disposal, we have some unique insights into the relationship between waste disposal and the environment,” Marshall contin- ued. “Today, regulated medical waste is disposed of by medical waste hauling services that move the waste from the point of creation to designated disposal sites. There are clear operational benefits that come from ushering in sustainabil- ity efforts, as well as environmentally friendly outcomes.”
Sterilis works on a number of initiatives with My Green Lab. [Editor’s Note: See Sustainability project examples - https://
hpnonline.com/21283854] Marshall cites from a My Green Lab study how segments of the healthcare industry contribute to the carbon footprint. The study finds that the global bio- technology and pharmaceutical industry alone has a carbon footprint larger than the semiconductor industry, the forestry and paper industry, and equal to nearly half the annual emissions of the United Kingdom,” he indicated. “A critical part of the solution will require companies to care- fully quantify their emissions up and down their respective supply chains and leverage their purchasing power to motivate their suppliers and customers to reduce their own impacts.
“Building a culture of sustainability in healthcare will transform the industry for the better and help organizations carry out their lifesaving missions without damaging the environment,” Marshall continued. “It’s important to remember that the supply chain in healthcare organizations is usu- ally at the forefront of the action and that their action, or inaction, can have a lasting impact on the industry.”
Environmental stewardship Lars Thording, Vice President, Marketing & Public Affairs, Innovative Health, stresses
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