Why Sustainability in the Healthcare Sector Requires a Cultural Mindset Shift

The following is a guest article by Sheetal Chawla, Head of Life Sciences and Head of Northeast Region at Capgemini Americas, and Stephen Obana, Vice President of Life Sciences at Capgemini Americas The healthcare sector has long been globally recognized as one of the leading carbon-intensive industries, accounting for 4.5% of the world’s greenhouse gases. However, the increasing attention on reducing emissions and forging a path to net zero in recent years has many leaders questioning how they can implement new sustainability strategies across their organizations.  In fact, in 2021, the World Health Organization organized a coalition of 42 countries to reduce emissions across their health systems. While this shows the start of action, there is still a long way to go.  When considering why sustainability is such a challenge for the healthcare industry – as well as several others – there are many possible answers. Challenges around emissions measurement have long hindered sustainability efforts, but what if the true barrier lies in the cultural mindset of the healthcare workforce? Understanding Scope Emissions  In order to tackle sustainability, leaders must understand the full depth of their impact. This begins with understanding the different types of emissions – namely Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3.  Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions are directly released into the atmosphere from owned or controlled sources. Examples include producing electricity by burning co...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - Category: Information Technology Authors: Tags: Ambulatory C-Suite Leadership Health IT Company Healthcare IT Hospital - Health System LTPAC Regulations Capgemini Americas Carbon Footprint environmental health Greenhouse Gas Emissions Healthcare Sustainability Scope Emissions Source Type: blogs