Green ambition: environmental sustainability in healthcare

Climate change impacts our health

Despite the healthcare industry’s best intentions, health delivery organizations (HDOs) are struggling to reduce their impact on climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, are the leading causes of climate change. In fact, The New England Journal of Medicine reports that the healthcare sector in the United States contributes 8.5% of the national GHG emissions, which are causing health issues, and killing millions of people each year. ¹

As a result of GHGs, global warming negatively affects our health, including respiratory and heart diseases, pest-related diseases, water- and food-related illnesses, and injuries and deaths from natural disaster-related weather. Increases in violent crime and overall poor mental health have also been linked to climate change. ²

GHG emission sources in healthcare

The Commonwealth Fund explains how one study identifies the following areas that HDOs contribute most to GHG emissions.⁴ Electricity, on-site boiler rooms, and medical gasses (i.e. medical air and oxygen) accounted for 18% of emissions, while 72% of supply chain emissions included:

• Water and waste

• Energy

• Transport

• Finance, insurance, administration, and public health

• Testing and research

• Construction

• Other manufacturing

• Information and computer technology, equipment, and services

• Plastics, rubber, textiles, and paper

• Medical supplies

• Medical devices

• Pharmaceuticals and chemicals

• Food

There’s a cure for sustainability in healthcare

It’s possible to reduce our healthcare carbon footprint by thinking strategically and combining data, science, and innovation. The long-term outcomes will reduce operational costs, drive efficiency and combat climate change to make a healthier environment. And remember, every little bit helps.

At Ricoh, we are committed to finding sustainable solutions of all kinds. Here are a few ways to begin pivoting green ambition into green action and sustainability in healthcare:

• Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reducing waste, such as single-use plastics, medical equipment, and packaging can make a difference.

• Use data instead of documents. Digitally transform and automate processes that can eliminate paper documents. Once documents are digitized, it reduces the need to be transported, stored, and secured, which all contribute to our carbon footprint. Intelligent business processes, including workflow efficiency, Patient Information Management Systems, and intelligent capture, also lead to increased productivity and cost-savings in addition to sustainability.

• Print responsibly. It’s reported that as much as 30% of print jobs are never even picked up from the printer and that 45% of paper printed in offices ends up in the trash by the end of the day. ⁵ Consider printing only what you need.

• Better manage your cloud resources. Whether managed IT services or internal teams are employed, FinOps (financial operations) evaluates and optimizes cloud computing usage to find the right balance of performance, quality, and cost. The outcome can help reach organizational sustainability goals.

• Seek out reusable and recyclable materials like recycled paper and remanufactured equipment. Look into buying products made from sustainable materials that are minimally packaged with recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials.

• Choose your supply chain vendors wisely. Verify that suppliers are ISO 14001-certified and comply with strict environmental sustainability standards and regulations. Remember to “think global, act local” with suppliers to help reduce emissions.

• Revive your energy usage. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) are necessary but some tweaks like recalibrating thermostats and occupancy sensors, adjusting operating schedules, and rebalancing HVAC air and water flows can save energy. Also consider using clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower energy. When in doubt, start with energy-efficient light bulbs and Energy Star-certified devices.

• Consider 3D printing for anatomical models and surgical guides. Studies showed that using 3D-printed anatomic models in surgical care reduced the time by 62 minutes on average or about $3,720. Similarly, 3D-printed surgical guides demonstrated an average time savings of 23 minutes or $1,488 per case saved. ⁶ Therefore, for operating rooms, which use a high amount of energy and resources, 3D printing can offset both time and money.

• Make virtual care easy and accessible. Save patients’ time and lower GHGs at the same time using less gas from transportation. With fewer in-person patients, healthcare facilities can also minimize their resources, reduce future construction, and lower emissions.

• Making repairs? Go green. Solar roofs, greenways, trees, native plants, and other green infrastructure all help reduce the urban heat island effect, absorb rainwater to prevent flooding, improve air quality, reduce stress, and create a better habitat for wildlife. ⁷

• Revitalize hospital cafeteria menus. Consider using local produce and food as well as offering sustainably produced utensils. Revisit your supplier list and consider offering organic or free-range options.

Ready for a challenge?

Is green ambition on your radar? We challenge you to pick 3 items off our list this Earth Day to incorporate into your organization and elevate sustainability in healthcare.

Ricoh’s passion and commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility combined with numerous awards, sustainable products and services, and a team of innovative experts, means you’re in good hands. Let’s make a difference together.