International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Bridging Environmental Impact and Patient Outcomes; Comment on “A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors
Connie Cai Ru Gan 1
Hansoo Kim 2
1 Griffith Institute for Human and Environmental Resilience (GIHER), Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
2 School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
10.34172/ijhpm.9138
Abstract
The intersection of healthcare sustainability and clinical practice presents complex challenges in implementing circular economy (CE) principles. This commentary examines Soares and colleagues review of green practices in healthcare facilities while identifying significant gaps in the current discourse. While healthcare facilities are adopting sustainability measures like renewable energy and efficiency improvements, the implementation faces significant operational challenges, particularly in embedding environmental considerations in the clinical decision-making and care delivery process. The analysis discusses that overdiagnosis and low-value care contribute substantially to healthcare’s environmental footprint, exemplified through screening cases that demonstrate the delicate balance between clinical necessity and resource utilisation. We emphasize the need for context-specific approaches that acknowledge operational realities and stakeholder diversity within healthcare governance. We advocate for an integrated approach that places health outcomes at the center of climate initiatives, recognising that public health interventions must equally consider environmental impacts. Ultimately, we call for a paradigm shift that moves beyond siloed environmental initiatives toward systemic integration that complements rather than competes with clinical responsibilities. 
Keywords
Climate Change
Sustainable Healthcare
Planetary Health
Circular Economy
Environmental Impact
Healthcare Facilities
  1. World Health Organization (WHO). Health Promotion Glossary of Terms 2021. WHO; 2021. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/350161/9789240038349-eng.pdf?sequence=1.
  2. Leal Filho W, Luetz JM, Thanekar UD, Dinis MA, Forrester M. Climate-friendly healthcare: reducing the impacts of the healthcare sector on the world’s climate. Sustain Sci. 2024;19(3):1103-1109. doi:1007/s11625-024-01487-5
  3. Soares AL, Buttigieg SC, Bak B, et al. A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2023;12:6947. doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2023.6947
  4. Barratt A, McGain F. Overdiagnosis is increasing the carbon footprint of healthcare. BMJ. 2021;375:n2407. doi:1136/bmj.n2407
  5. Mir FA, Morgan L, Houghton E. Tackling overprescribing. BMJ. 2021;375:n2539. doi:1136/bmj.n2539
  6. Sherman JD, McGain F, Lem M, Mortimer F, Jonas WB, MacNeill AJ. Net zero healthcare: a call for clinician action. BMJ. 2021;374:n1323. doi:1136/bmj.n1323
  7. Beltrán A, Parker L, Moral-Pérez I, et al. Impact of patients' age and comorbidities on prostate cancer overdiagnosis in clinical practice. PLoS One. 2025;20(2):e0315979. doi:1371/journal.pone.0315979
  8. Bennett A, Shaver N, Vyas N, et al. Screening for breast cancer: a systematic review update to inform the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care guideline. Syst Rev. 2024;13(1):304. doi:1186/s13643-024-02700-3
  9. Moldovan F, Blaga P, Moldovan L, Bataga T. An innovative framework for sustainable development in healthcare: the human rights assessment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(4):2222. doi:3390/ijerph19042222
  10. Rajagopalan S, Pronovost P, Al-Kindi S. Implementing a sustainability framework in healthcare: a three-lens framework. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(13):1867. doi:3390/healthcare11131867
  11. Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (SHC). Building Environmental Considerations into the Evaluation of Health Interventions: Taking a Care Pathway Approach. A Discussion Paper from the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition. SHC; 2025. https://shcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Building-environmental-considerations-into-the-evaluation-of-health-interventions-Taking-a-care-pathway-approach.pdf.
  12. Asperti F, Cannavacciuolo L, Foglia E, Garagiola E, Gheduzzi E, Manetti S. Seventy-two shades of environmental sustainability in healthcare: a holistic framework proposal. J Clean Prod. 2025;493:144850. doi:1016/j.jclepro.2025.144850
  13. Gan CC. Future-proofing Hospitals Against Disasters in a Changing Climate: Opportunities and Strategies for Health Promoting Hospitals [dissertation]. Griffith University; 2021. doi:25904/1912/4465
  14. Lyng HB, Macrae C, Guise V, et al. Balancing adaptation and innovation for resilience in healthcare - a metasynthesis of narratives. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):759. doi:1186/s12913-021-06592-0
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 14, Issue 1
2025
Pages 1-3

  • Received Date 08 April 2025
  • Revised Date 13 July 2025
  • Accepted Date 13 July 2025
  • First Published Date 14 July 2025
  • Published Date 01 December 2025