Lost in Green Transformation; Comment on “A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities”

K.S. Von Eiff, Anna; Von Eiff, Wilfried

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.9222

Lost in Green Transformation; Comment on “A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

Anna K.S. von Eiff ¹

Wilfried von Eiff ²^{, 3}^{, 4}

¹ Independent Researcher, Münster, Germany

² Center for Hospital Management, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

³ Center for Health Care Management and Regulation, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Leipzig, Germany

⁴ Kerckhoff Clinic, Heart-Lung Center, Bad Nauheim, Teaching Hospital of the University Clinic Gießen-Marburg, Gießen, Germany

10.34172/ijhpm.9222

Abstract

This commentary refers to the scoping review “A Review of the Applicability of Current Green Practices in Healthcare Facilities” by Soares et al and intents to bring in additional aspects influencing the green transformation in healthcare and to propose concrete means that could be helpful to move forward towards carbon footprint reduction as well as resource saving. The authors aim to help to identify how circular economy (CE) can be implemented in current hospitals. Following up on this, we would like to enrichen the discussion by three thematic areas we pose as questions: (1) Is the green transformation a prominent part of the strategic agenda of hospital? (2) What impact on the green transformation is caused by legal interventions? (3) Which concrete means help to achieve carbon footprint reduction, resource saving and have a self-financing capability? Our comment is based on practical experience with green pilot projects in German hospitals.

Keywords

Green Hospital Strategy

Medical Remanufacturing

Clinical Textiles

Food Services

German Healthcare Perspective

Medical Device Regulation

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