“Hospitals and care systems that pursue sustainability initiatives find benefits in multiple areas,” noted a 2014 report from the American Hospital Association and the Health Research and Educational Trust, “Environmental Sustainability in Hospitals: The Value of Efficiency.”
Others in health care — hospitals, clinics, suppliers and group purchasing organizations — are following suit, as a growing number learn the value of sustainability. A 2012 Commonwealth Fund study looked at hospitals that are reducing energy use and waste, and achieving efficiencies in the operating room. Its striking conclusion: “Savings achievable through these interventions could exceed $5.4 billion over five years and $15 billion over 10 years.”