What’s Happening at the Intersection of Healthcare and Sustainability? A Technological Perspective

Most of today’s healthcare organizations have a large environmental footprint — with the overall sector responsible for nearly 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Health Care Without Harm. Because the healthcare sector is resource-intensive — from heating, cooling, lighting, waste and emissions — the vast majority of organizations are looking for ways to make their environmental footprint smaller. To support this ongoing mission, many are deploying sustainability-focused technologies — and are attaining significant results. Here’s what we’ve found in the latest research.

Reducing waste through digital innovation

In healthcare organizations worldwide, technology is driving the pursuit of sustainability. One significant area of impact is waste reduction. For example, the shift from paper-based records to electronic health records (EHRs) minimizes paper waste while enhancing data accessibility. EHRs can streamline administrative processes, reduce duplication of tests and procedures, and improve patient care coordination.

One organization taking a proactive step in this direction is Kaiser Permanente. The organization’s transition to EHRs has improved patient care and significantly reduced paper use, leading to a more sustainable practice. By switching 8.7 million members to EHRs, Kaiser eliminated 1,000 tons of paper records, 68 tons of x-ray film and nearly 38 tons of toxic chemicals that would be required for processing film.

Since 2019, University Hospital Bonn in Germany has been using a digital waste management platform to enhance oversight of its waste streams. This innovative tool helps in monitoring waste and identifying opportunities to advance circularity — a sustainability practice focused on maximizing the reuse, recycling and repurposing of materials to extend their lifecycle and minimize environmental impact.

Energy efficiency via smart technologies

Energy efficiency via smart technologies is one of the most impactful ways that technology can promote sustainability in healthcare. By integrating smart building technologies such as automated lighting, heating, and cooling systems, and optimizing energy use through real-time data and occupancy patterns, healthcare facilities can significantly reduce their energy consumption. These reductions in energy consumption translate directly to cost savings.

The Cleveland Clinic has implemented an energy management system that has reduced energy consumption by 20%, saving millions of dollars annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Building program. In the UK, the NHS has embarked on the For a Greener NHS initiative, where it promotes energy-efficient technologies, sustainable procurement practices and digital transformation to reduce its environmental impact, while expanding green spaces around its healthcare facilities.

Telemedicine has emerged as a tool for reducing healthcare’s environmental impact. The transition from in-person appointments to remote consultations has reduced the need for patients to travel, which translates to a reduction in carbon emissions. Telemedicine also makes healthcare more accessible while reducing the need for physical infrastructure, leading to further energy and resource savings.

Using AI and big data to drive operational efficiency

AI and big data analytics are powerful tools for enhancing operational efficiency within healthcare facilities. By enabling predictive maintenance, AI helps extend the life of medical equipment, preventing unnecessary replacements and significantly reducing electronic waste.  In addition, predictive analytics tools can be used to refine inventory management and optimize the use of medical supplies while minimizing waste.

The Mount Sinai Health System in the U.S. uses AI to predict patient admissions, thereby optimizing resource allocation, improving staffing efficiency and enhancing facility utilization, all of which can lead to waste reduction. Similarly, the University Hospital of Basel in Switzerland uses data and analytics to measure its environmental impact, identifying areas for improvement and enabling data-driven decision-making.

Moving from the data center to the cloud reduces energy consumption

Data centers are critical components of modern healthcare, supporting EHRs, telemedicine, AI applications and big data analytics. However, data centers also consume huge amounts of energy. To address this, many healthcare organizations are shifting to cloud-based services, both public and private. This transition allows them to benefit from the efficiencies of large-scale data centers that are operated by technology providers who prioritize sustainability. These data centers integrate energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources to reduce their environmental footprint.

By adopting smart technologies, digital innovations and green data centers, the healthcare sector can significantly lower its environmental impact while maintaining high-quality care. These technological advancements benefit the planet and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services, contributing to the well-being of current and future generations.

How Rackspace Technology supports sustainability

At Rackspace Technology®, we’ve been operating at the intersection of healthcare and sustainability for years, supplying customers with the services and technologies they need to reach their sustainability goals. Our comprehensive approach to sustainability spans the entire lifecycle of solutions — from planning and deployment to management and optimization. Utilizing hybrid multicloud, data, AI and security technologies, we enable rapid transformation of healthcare organizations toward greater sustainability.

Our dedication to sustainability has garnered recognition from leading organizations. We are proud to have received the following awards:

• Social Impact from SustainableIT.org
• Sustainable IT from ESGBusiness in Singapore
• North America Sustainability Partner of the Year award from Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Beyond these awards, we’re getting involved in sustainability initiatives outside of our own walls.  Srini Koushik, President of AI, Technology and Sustainability at Rackspace, now serves on the board of the nonprofit, SustainableIT.org, bringing his expertise in helping enterprises achieve sustainability in the cloud. Discover how we’re achieving that goal for our customers with leading-edge cloud solutions.

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