PRODUCT & SERVICE LINE REPORTS


Options, starting points for relevant, useful sustainability projects, programs


J


ust like companies in other industries, healthcare organizations face a pleth- ora of choices when deciding how to embrace and implement sustainability proj- ects and programs, including which to do first and before others.


To gauge the possibilities and potential opportunities, Healthcare Purchasing News surveyed more than a dozen company exec- utives in the sustainability space, offering them 13 designated sustainability strategies and tactics from which to choose as targets to be implemented at healthcare provider organizations or for healthcare provider organizations to require of their product and service suppliers via the contracting process. HPN also included an “Other” option for executives to specify something generally not included in the list of choices. HPN lists below the options in order of their acceptance and importance as indi- cated by responding executives. HPN then asked participating executives to select their top three choices to recom- mend providers implement first, along with proffering reasons why. Those insights fol- low the overall list of options. . Conservingreducing energy and resource consumption, including (but not limited to) electricity, fuels and water


.educing material waste, including the disposal of new and unused but expired products and the disposal of soiled used products


.eprocessingreusing products when and where appropriate via approvedregu- lated procedures for safety and security (and legality)


.Contracting forinvesting in sustainably designed andor manufactured products


.educing chemicals of concern in the products themselves as well as the manu- facturing process (e.g., PC, DEHP, etc.) – or at least contracting with those sup- pliersvendors who do this


.Calling for more detailed information on product labeling that identifies compo- nents and raw materials to facilitate more sustainable sourcing decisions


.ecycling appropriaterelevant consum- able materials, including certain plastics, paper, corrugated cardboard, etc.


.ecycling (versus disposing) of equip- ment, furniture, mattresses, etc.


.ncorporating climateenvironmental awareness in all buildingconstruction renovation projects


.educing the variety of packaging mate- rials used in freightshipping containers of all sizes .Developing a database that tracks and traces sustainability efforts vs. achieve- ments and records standardized progress


.elying more on localregional suppli- ersvendors for products and services, which will reduce cross-countrycross- ocean transportation emissions globally .Farming and growing your own food and nutritional resources .ther relevant suggested options include:  Establishing standardized total cost of use” models to better inform the industry and healthcare pro- viders of opportunities to reduce waste and costs


 educing excess supplies by transfer- ring, selling, or donating products


• Understanding the climate impacts and embodied carbon emissions of all pur- chased goodsprioritizing low embod- ied carbon productspurchasing.


• Setting science-based energy reduction targets


 equesting and tracking carbon emis- sions of your organization and your suppliers to manage your carbon emis- sions including the majority of where emissions come from per scope 3 terms


Priorities to pursue From the list above, responding sustain- ability experts give top priority to the fol- lowing options. .eprocessingreusing products when and where appropriate via approved regulated procedures for safety and secu- rity (and legality) to reduce the volume of single-patient-use devices and related disposal requirements and costs


.Establish standard total cost of use models to better inform the industry and providers and to push positive change forward


.ecycling (versus disposing) of equip- ment, furniture, mattresses, etc. to reduce waste streams and encourage the indus- try to innovate production using recy- cled materials


Richard Radford, CEO, Cenorin LLC


.Eliminate Chemicals of Concern .mplement changes that reduce negative impacts on climate


50 November 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


.Proects that improve community health and resiliency


Mary Starr, Chief Operating Officer, Greenhealth Exchange


.eprocessingreusing products eprocessing is arguably the most impactful environmental initiative in hospitals. ome hospitals reduce their


carbon footprint by , pounds C2 equivalent per year only by reprocessing cardiology devices.


.Contracting forinvesting in sustainably designed andor manufactured products “Manufacturers do not feel pressure today to invest in sustainable design. Hospitals should put more pressure on them.


.educing chemicals of concern in the products themselves: “The manufacture of most medical devices and instruments take an enormous toll on the environment in terms of carbon emissions.


Lars Thording, Vice President, Marketing & Public Affairs, Innovative Health


.nderstanding the climate impacts and embodied carbon emissions of all purchased goods and prioritizing low embodied carbon productspurchasing “Much of the carbon footprint associated with the built environment is embodied carbon. We can begin to decarbonize healthcare facilities through low-carbon material procurement. s a healthcare organization, if you are serious about pro- moting the health and wellness of those in your community, you must prioritize sustainable purchasing for human and climate health.


.ncorporate climateenvironmental awareness in all buildingconstruc- tionrenovation proects The building industry is responsible for nearly 40% of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions, with the healthcare industry responsible for . of global carbon emissions. Climate change caused by human emissions has led to increased health problems worldwide, including cardiovascular problems, respiratory problems and insect-borne disease. s stewards of public health, the industry must reduce its environmental impact to reduce harm to human health. To do this, healthcare organizations can partner with vendors that prioritize sustainability in their supply chain and procurement


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