The healthcare industry is facing many challenges when it comes to sustainability. These challenges include the high cost of sustainability projects, the need for long-term planning, and the lack of sustainability awareness among hospital staff. However, sustainability can be the key to staying ahead in the healthcare industry.
Why Focus on Sustainability?
- Financial savings: Hospitals can save money on their energy bills, water bills, and waste disposal costs by implementing sustainability initiatives. Savings go directly to a hospital’s bottom line. (“Hospitals save millions with sustainability programs, cut back on waste. “)
- Improved environmental performance: Hospitals can reduce environmental impact by implementing sustainability initiatives. (“Hospitals reduce their carbon footprints with sustainable solutions.”)
- Enhanced reputation: Hospitals committed to sustainability can improve their reputation and attract more patients and staff. ( Do patients care about sustainability?”)
What are the Sustainability Challenges?
The high cost of sustainability projects can be a barrier for hospitals looking to improve their environmental performance. Sustainability projects include installing energy-efficient lighting, upgrading HVAC systems, and retrofitting windows and doors. These projects can be expensive, especially for large hospitals.
Vermont recently became the first state in the nation to ban fluorescent lighting. Beginning Jan 1, 2024, the sale of four-foot fluorescent bulbs will be prohibited. ( “States Prohibit Fluorescent Lighting in Support of Green Initiatives.” ) The cost of an LED retrofit can be significant. However, many states have efficiency programs to offset these cost. I assisted a hospital in Vermont in obtaining rebates from Efficiency Vermont that will cover most of the LED retrofit.
The need for long-term planning is another challenge for hospitals trying to be sustainable. Sustainability is a long-term investment. It takes time and effort to implement sustainability initiatives and see results. This can challenge hospitals under pressure to make short-term financial gains.
The lack of awareness of sustainability among hospital staff is also a challenge. Not all hospital staff know the importance of sustainability or how they can contribute to sustainability efforts. This can be a challenge for hospitals trying to create a sustainable culture.
How to Improve Sustainability Performance
Despite these challenges, there are several things that hospitals can do to improve their sustainability performance. These include prioritizing sustainability, finding cost-effective solutions, involving staff, and communicating with the community.
- Prioritizing sustainability: Hospitals need to prioritize sustainability to make significant progress. This means setting clear goals, allocating resources, and tracking progress.
- Including sustainability in construction and renovation: Steps to take include energy-efficient design and construction, sustainable materials, and considering lifecycle costs. See my post, “Green Hospitals: Can Sustainability be a priority in healthcare construction?”
- Finding cost-effective solutions: There are several cost-effective ways to improve sustainability. Hospitals should research different options and choose solutions that fit their budget. Examples includes water-saving fixtures, smart HVAC systems, and conducting energy audits.
- Involving staff: Hospitals should involve staff in sustainability efforts. This can help to raise awareness of sustainability and create a sense of ownership among staff.
- Communicating with the community: Hospitals should communicate their sustainability efforts to the community. This can help to build support for sustainability and encourage others to make sustainable choices.
What are the Sustainability Obstacles?
- The need to balance sustainability with patient care: Hospitals need to ensure that they provide high-quality patient care while taking steps to reduce their environmental impact. This can be a delicate balance.
- The regulatory environment: The regulatory environment for sustainability is constantly changing. Hospitals need to stay up-to-date on the latest regulations to comply.
- The availability of resources: Not all hospitals have the resources they need to implement sustainability initiatives. This can be a challenge, especially for smaller hospitals.
The healthcare industry is facing several challenges when it comes to sustainability. However, by addressing these challenges, hospitals can positively impact the environment and their patients’ health.
