KRIZMAR EVANGELISTA
QUIZ #2
1. What do you think of sustainability in the context of a
healthcare institution?
I believe that sustainability in the context of a healthcare institution involves a healthcare
that delivers high quality care in an affordable way, while minimizing the impact on the
environment. It describes a system that meets the health needs of the present, without
compromising the health of future generations. Sustainable healthcare is about understanding
that our health – and that of our environment around us – are intrinsically linked, and acting in
a way that supports both people and planet health.
Keeping people as healthy as possible for as long as possible and empowering them to
take an active role in their health and well-being reduces the risk of them becoming unwell or
needing to receive treatment and consume healthcare resources in the first place. Focusing on
primary prevention (healthy lifestyle), secondary prevention (screening to identify disease in its
earliest stage) and tertiary prevention (reducing the effects of established disease) can deliver
both near-term and long-term sustainability benefits through lower healthcare consumption.
When access to healthcare services is required, simplifying access routes and catching
diseases in their earliest stages are often associated with less resource-intensive treatment. By
getting people to the right service at the right time and making healthcare pathways more
efficient and joined-up, for example, by implementing initiatives such as digital triage and "one-
stop" diagnostic clinics, we can reduce healthcare’s environmental footprint through reductions
in patient travel and removing the unnecessary or duplicated tests that are often found in
fragmented healthcare systems.
When care or treatment is being delivered to patients it is vital that the carbon footprint and
wider environmental impacts of are kept to a minimum. This can be achieved by minimizing the
emissions or resources required to deliver high quality health outcomes, such as reducing
waste associated with procedures, using more sustainable products or reusing equipment or
materials where clinically appropriate.
Minimizing the environmental impact of care must not compromise the health outcomes or
quality of care, so it is important for organizations and healthcare professionals to collect data
that can demonstrate both the clinical effectiveness and environmental impacts of practice.
Failure to transition to a model of sustainable healthcare will only serve to increase the
environmental impact of the healthcare sector. Population growth, unhealthy lifestyles,
increases in chronic disease, aging populations and increased access to healthcare are all
expected to drive increases in healthcare demands and resource consumption in the coming
decades.
When this is combined with the anticipated healthcare impacts linked to climate change, the
need for sustainable transformation becomes clearer and more urgent.
The journey towards sustainable healthcare is a collective effort that requires the
involvement of healthcare professionals, administrators, policymakers, and patients. By
adopting and advocating for green practices within the medical industry, we can make
significant strides towards a healthier and more sustainable healthcare institution.
2. How would you gauge whether or not a business is
sustainable?
Sustainable development of a business is measured through various indicators that assess
its environmental, social, and economic performance over time. The goal of measuring
sustainable development is to ensure that the business is meeting its present needs without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Here are some key ways in which the sustainable development of a business can be
measured:
1. Environmental Impact: This includes measuring the business's ecological footprint,
greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, water usage, waste generation, and other
environmental impacts. Reducing these impacts or implementing environmentally friendly
practices can be indicative of sustainable development.
2. Social Responsibility: Assessing how the business contributes to the well-being of its
employees, local communities, and society at large is essential. Metrics could include
employee satisfaction, health and safety records, community development projects, and
charitable initiatives.
3. Economic Performance: Sustainable development also involves economic viability.
Financial indicators such as profit, revenue growth, and return on investment are relevant,
but they need to be balanced with environmental and social factors to avoid short-term gains
that might harm the long-term prospects.
4. Supply Chain Sustainability: Examining the sustainability practices of suppliers and
partners is crucial for businesses to ensure they are not indirectly contributing to
unsustainable practices through their supply chain.
5. Innovation, Research & Development: Businesses that invest in research and
development to create more sustainable products or technologies demonstrate a
commitment to sustainable development.
6. Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with stakeholders, such as customers, employees,
investors, and local communities, to understand their concerns and expectations regarding
sustainability is essential. Tracking satisfaction and feedback from these groups can provide
insights into the business's sustainability efforts.
7. Reporting and Certifications: Many businesses publish sustainability reports that disclose
their performance metrics, goals, and progress. Additionally, obtaining certifications from
recognized sustainable business standards (e.g., B Corp, ISO 14001, etc.) can demonstrate
the commitment to sustainability.
8. Triple Bottom Line Approach: This approach evaluates the business's performance based
on three dimensions: social, environmental, and financial. The triple bottom line framework
helps businesses holistically assess their impact on people, planet, and profits.
9. Sustainable Goals and Targets: Setting measurable and time-bound sustainability goals
helps businesses track their progress and identify areas for improvement.
10. Life Cycle Assessments: Conducting life cycle assessments of products or services can
help identify areas where environmental impacts occur throughout the entire lifecycle of a
product, allowing for targeted sustainability improvements.
Remember that the specific metrics and indicators used to measure sustainable
development may vary depending on the industry, size of the business, and regional factors.
What's important is that businesses take a comprehensive approach and continually improve
their sustainability efforts.
