Sustainability as a strategic imperative for healthcare
- May 05 2026
- 4 min read
Sustainability in healthcare is frequently misunderstood, often seen as an environmental initiative at odds with financial and clinical priorities. However, this perspective overlooks its role in addressing critical challenges. By mitigating supply chain risks, optimizing resource use and enabling remote and virtual care, sustainability aligns seamlessly with financial performance and improved patient outcomes, proving that environmental responsibility and operational efficiency can go hand in hand.
At-a-glance:
- When embedded into decision-making, sustainability strengthens clinical excellence, operational resilience and long-term performance – while supporting supply chain stability, smarter resource use and new care models (including remote/virtual care).
- Climate and air quality directly affect chronic disease burden and care disruption; reducing a hospital’s footprint can improve indoor air quality and patient safety (e.g., energy-efficient HVAC) while supporting healthier communities.
- Sustainable choices can lower energy costs and total cost of ownership through energy-efficient technology, cloud-enabled IT and circular models (refurbishment/reuse) – freeing resources to reinvest in care, staff and modernization.
A comprehensive sustainability strategy is no longer a peripheral environmental effort – it’s a foundational driver of clinical excellence, operational resilience and long-term organizational performance. Sustainable healthcare is about building systems that deliver better care, operate more efficiently and remain resilient amid growing environmental and economic pressures. This work goes far beyond symbolic “green” initiatives. It requires rethinking how care is delivered, how resources are used, and how health systems can proactively support healthier populations. When sustainability is embedded into strategic decision-making, the benefits extend across patient outcomes, workforce well-being, cost structures and community health.
Advancing patient care through a healthier environment
The connection between planetary health and human health is well established. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events contribute to more frequent disruptions in care delivery, while air pollutants elevate the prevalence and severity of chronic diseases like asthma and cardiovascular conditions. These realities directly undermine the core mission of healthcare: to protect and improve health.
Consequently, sustainability becomes an essential component of patient safety and clinical quality. Hospitals that reduce their environmental footprint are simultaneously creating healthier, more therapeutic environments for patients, clinicians and surrounding communities.
For example, investments in modern, energy-efficient HVAC systems reduce emissions while directly improving indoor air quality – a critical factor for patients with respiratory conditions. These improvements deliver measurable benefits both clinically and operationally.
This shift in thinking was further reinforced during a virtual symposium hosted by The Resource Group, Spend Management Solutions, sponsored by Ascension and Henry Ford Health. The discussion focused on how sustainability in healthcare extends far beyond operational efficiency and is now recognized as a core strategy for improving patient outcomes, advancing access to care and supporting community wellbeing.
A central insight emerged: the environmental conditions we shape today influence the care needs of tomorrow. Cleaner air today can directly reduce emergency department visits in the future. Reducing carbon emissions contributes to healthier communities by supporting cleaner air and safer water – key determinants of health, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The symposium explored several strategic areas critical to sustainable healthcare transformation:
- Circularity and sustainable packaging, reducing waste and supporting responsible material use
- Responsible and resilient supply chains, emphasizing transparency and community impact
- Carbon measurement and reporting frameworks, enabling evidence-based decision making
- The relationship between sustainability and the Social Determinants of Health, underscoring how environmental stewardship directly affects access, equity and long-term health outcomes
Participants reached a shared conclusion: lasting progress requires collaboration across sectors. Healthcare systems, manufacturers, suppliers and community organizations must work together to build a healthcare model that is clinically, environmentally and socially sustainable.
The surprising economics of going green
A persistent misconception is that sustainability increases cost or complexity. However, emerging evidence from health systems worldwide shows the opposite: integrating sustainability often reduces costs, strengthens asset performance and enhances financial resilience.
Driving down operational costs
Energy is one of the largest and least predictable expenses for healthcare facilities, particularly in imaging and acute care environments. Energy efficient equipment offers significant opportunities for long-term cost savings. In healthcare imaging, Philips’ HealthSuite Imaging PACS running on AWS, demonstrates how cloud adoption can materially reduce environmental impact. Across more than 150 US customer sites, HealthSuite Imaging, powered by renewable electricity, delivered approximately 68% lower carbon impact compared to average grid electricity, equivalent to avoiding 194 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This reduction is comparable to avoiding the annual carbon emissions of nearly 40 US homes, reinforcing the role of cloud-enabled healthcare IT in supporting decarbonization efforts.1
Examples from Philips’ EcoDesigned portfolio include:
- Radiography 7300 C: can use up to 70% less energy, potentially saving up to 5132 kWh per year2
- EPIQ Elite ultrasound system: 29% reduction in power3
- Rembra CT scanner : consumes 7% less energy, potentially saving up to 11,415 kWh per year4, 5
These operational savings can be reinvested into patient care, staffing, modernization efforts or community health programs – advancing both clinical and economic goals.
The value of a circular economy
Circular models – centered on refurbishment, reuse and material recovery – represent another significant opportunity. Philips’ focus on designing for “use less, use longer, use again” supports durability, repairability, and end-of‑life recycling.6
The Philips Circular Edition portfolio demonstrates the power of this approach. High quality‑ refurbished imaging systems deliver as good as new image quality and performance, with the same warranty and service performance levels as new Philips systems for 25% less7 than budgeting for new. A recent study from a US academic medical center and Philips comparing linear and circular MRI procurement models found that circular approaches can:
- Reduce total cost of ownership by up to 21%
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% on a conventional grid and 37% on a clean energy grid
- Reduce material use by up to 92%
Upgrading existing MRI systems on-site generated the greatest efficiencies due to the reuse of major components. This research confirms that circular procurement can help imaging centers reduce cost, emissions and resource use – strengthening both clinical and operational performance.
Gaining a long-term competitive edge
Sustainability is increasingly recognized as a strategic differentiator. Patients, employees, investors and community partners expect healthcare organizations to demonstrate environmental and social accountability. A strong sustainability strategy can:
- Attract and retain top talent, reinforcing an organizational culture grounded in responsibility and innovation
- Enhance brand reputation, positioning the organization as a leader in modern, values ‑driven healthcare
- Improve resilience, particularly as supply chains become more vulnerable and energy markets more volatile
Healthcare leaders are no longer asking how to “be greener” – they are asking how to build sustainable healthcare systems that deliver better outcomes, strengthen communities and ensure long-term viability.
Building a resilient and sustainable healthcare system
The clinical, operational and financial case for sustainability in healthcare is clear. Sustainability is not an ancillary environmental program – it is a core strategic capability that supports high quality care, cost efficiency, community health and organizational resilience.
By embedding sustainability into decision-making at every level, healthcare organizations can deliver excellent care today while safeguarding the health and well‑being of future generations. The question is no longer whether sustainable healthcare is feasible, but whether the industry can afford not to pursue it.
Featuring
Dr. Beatrice Murage
Global Director of Sustainability and Access to Care
Philips, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Read more
Dr. Beatrice Murage has more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, starting as a medical doctor in under-resourced regions. Her passion for health equity and reducing patient losses led her to various roles in public health, policymaking, and digital health innovations.
Kristine Mullen
Head of Strategy and Growth, North America
Philips, Nashville
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Footnotes
- HSI Claims Substantiation (D002341811) - Disclaimer: Data is based on AWS Carbon Data Exports between 2023-01 and 2025-12 and includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. It compares AWS electricity procurement strategy focused on purchasing renewables vs the average grid amount of renewables. For customers on a shared tenancy account, a cost-based proxy was used to determine the carbon emissions. The emission savings were calculated using the AWS methodology to substract the difference between the carbon footprint emissions calculated using the location-based method (LBM) and the market-based method (MBM). To determine the emissions savings in equivalent carbon sequestration of trees, the EPA methodology was used in which the selected tree was a 35 yr old Oak tree (Quercus Prinus).
- Compared to DigitalDiagnost Rel. 4 up to 39% less annual energy consumption, potentially saving up to 1300 kWh per year. Compared to DigitalDiagnost Rel. 3 up to 70% less annual energy consumption, potentially saving up to 5132 kWh per year. Based on 84 patients per day. Actual results in other cases may vary.
- Compared to predecessor iU22
- As compared to Philips Big Bore RT
- Based on Philips likely use case scenario, completing 40 scans per day (including abdomen, head, chest, and spine), for a total duration of 8 hours per day with 12 hours in low power mode during nighttime, for 260 days per year.
- “Towards equitable and sustainable healthcare: human health and environmental health”
- Based on country list pricing for a standard configuration of a Circular Edition compared to a similar new Philips system.
Disclaimer
The opinions and clinical experiences presented herein are specific to the featured topics and are not linked to any specific patient and are for information purposes only. The medical experience(s) derived from these topics may not be predictive of all patients. Individual results may vary depending on a variety of patient-specific attributes and related factors. Nothing in this article is intended to provide specific medical advice or to take the place of written law or regulations.