More Than ‘Going Green’: How Labs Can Use Sustainability to Improve Healthcare

By William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories

Hospital labs, and healthcare as a whole, are making sustainability a priority as every day we recognize more and more the interconnectivity of environmental health and public health. These sustainability initiatives driving down waste, energy use, and emissions can have meaningful impacts on the environment. As providers and promoters of health and wellness in our communities, it is important that all in healthcare take a leadership role. Furthermore, sustainability requires looking beyond the environment and includes viewing it through a social lens to make vital progress toward goals like reducing health disparities and making healthcare more inclusive.

These initiatives can only be impactful if healthcare organizations can provide for their patients, which is why organizations should consider making economic sustainability part of their sustainability programs. A comprehensive approach to sustainability can have lasting benefits, creating not only a better place to live but also a better way to live for people today and in the future.

A multifaceted approach to sustainability

A holistic approach to sustainability will result in differing priorities depending on the requirements and needs of each organization. Keeping in mind the structure of the healthcare system, some general approaches can make lasting impacts on the organization’s sustainability.

When it comes to environmental sustainability, labs are taking a wide range of steps to minimize environmental footprints and in the process improve operations. Labs can lean on technology to implement paperless workflows, for example.

By using the digital tools on the market today, many labs have cut back on the need to print patient data for all their tests. Printing this information, storing it for periods of years to be compliant with regulations, and physically handling it can create waste and cost significant time, effort, money, and real estate, all of which can be reduced by digitizing the data.

Other environmental actions that labs and health systems have taken include:

• Reducing emissions by transitioning to sustainable energy sources, like solar and wind.
• Improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions by using geothermal technology for heating and cooling.
• Conserving energy by conducting LED lighting retrofits, sealing air ducts, and purchasing energy-efficient equipment.

Social sustainability initiatives can help reduce health disparities, including access to laboratory diagnostics. Reducing disparities in medical testing is crucial because 70% of today’s medical decisions rely on lab test results, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). COVID-19 served as a recent example of how inequitability in testing can be directly linked to worse outcomes. Studies showed that communities of color during the pandemic were 2.5 to 3.5 times less likely to be tested and 2 to 9 times more likely to be infected by the virus.

To improve such disparities and make healthcare more equitable for all, labs should partner with their healthcare systems and community practices to improve access to testing. Accessibility impacts the entire continuum of care, so collaboration is key to raise awareness of the laboratory’s role in determining diagnoses and delivering personalized care.

Economic sustainability requires that labs balance their environmental and social responsibilities with their long-term investments and financial goals.

Taking steps to reduce environmental impacts, address health disparities, and improve economic sustainability in labs can help create a healthier and more resilient community. These initiatives can also produce positive financial outcomes, like reduced energy consumption, lowered costs, and improved staff retention. However, to reach these goals requires commitment of time, attention, and resources throughout the organization, starting at the top.

Long-term strategic planning can help labs identify where investments can deliver financial returns that also coincide with future growth, staff satisfaction, profitability, and innovation. Immediate impacts won’t always be seen, as large-scale efforts like digitization or process automation can take months or even years for the return to be fully realized. But the result will be worth it — ensuring the needs of the patient and the planet are being met while creating a more sustainable lab, organization, and community.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.