News • Life sciences and the environment
New award rewards sustainability in the lab
To recognize and support pioneering efforts in life science laboratory settings, EMBO launches its Lab Sustainability Award. Applications can be submitted soon.
Sustainability
News • Sustainability in imaging
Philips showcases helium-free mobile MRI at RSNA
Royal Philips showcases the world’s first mobile MRI system with helium-free operations at RSNA 2023. BlueSeal MR Mobile is a lightweight 1.5T system with a fully sealed magnet.
Sustainability
Lab-on-a-chip for a low-carbon future
The field of lab-on-a-chip needs to meet important challenges around sustainability. This includes not only the development of smart analytical systems that are able to sense the changes that are occurring within the environment but also, more generally, the mitigation of single-use plastics in analysis and the use of low-power, recyclable microsystem technologies.
Article • Sustainability in medical imaging
Reducing environmental pollution after contrast-enhanced scans
Radiologists called for action to reduce the release of contrast media in the hospital’s wastewater after contrast-enhanced examinations in a dedicated session at ECR 2023.
Article • Sustainability
The challenge of "greening" medical technologies
Under the impulse of the European Commission, the in vitro diagnostic industry is developing emerging technologies to implement sustainable practices in medical laboratories. As sustainability has been a growing priority of the European Union (EU) in the last decade, ‘the medical technology sector, particularly the IVD sector, must comply with European legislation in this field like all other…
News • Sustainability in healthcare
Creating a circular economy for medical testing plastics
Global healthcare consumes millions of tonnes of single use plastic every year. A team at the University of Birmingham is taking on this sustainability challenge.
News • Development of medical care
New research: how healthcare will change over the next 50 years
AI, robotics, climate change and more: Swedish researchers outline emerging technologies and trends that may define what the healthcare industry looks like in the next 50 years.
Article • Impact of ICM packaging and delivery systems
Contrast media bottles: benefits of switching to multi-dose
Iodinated contrast media (ICM) enhance CT imaging, but its single-dose packaging is increasingly proving at odds with modern, more sustainable imaging practices. New award-winning research by a radiology resident and faculty members at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, proposes a promising alternative: A switch from using single-dose injectable contrast media kits to…
News • Looking beyond the operating theatre
The three global health challenges surgeons must tackle
Surgeons will need to tackle three major challenges with the most potential to reduce major causes of death and improve access to surgical care, according to an international group of experts.
News • Message from our partner
Make a step towards sustainable digital healthcare ecosystem at Automa+ 2023
Executive opening panel dedicated to the sustainable digital healthcare ecosystem is the highlight of the Automa 2023 Congress (September, 25-26, Zurich, Switzerland).
News • Sustainability in cardiology
Finnish reseachers develop fully biodegradable ECG patch
A team at the Finnish research institute VTT has created a biodegradable ECG patch, aiming to pave the way to a more sustainable future for wearable electronic devices.
News • Reducing the carbon footprint
How to achieve 'greener' heart healthcare
A new review has shown how medical professionals in cardiology can help reduce healthcare's carbon footprint, by making small, low-cost changes in how they work.
News • Potential for energy, cost and emission reduction
Research proves eco-impact of MRI machine operation changes
A research partnership has proven medical centers can achieve significant carbon reduction and cost savings by turning off or putting MRIs into the lowest power setting when not in use.
News • Surgery & medical economics
Carbon footprint of single-use surgical items in common operations
A new analysis of the carbon footprint of products used in the five most common surgical operations shows that 68% of carbon contributions come from single-use items.
Article • Plenary discussion at ECR 2023
Sustainable radiology: why it takes more than “greener” imaging systems
It’s clear that radiology is lacking in the “green” department: healthcare still causes a large share of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, not least due to diagnostic imaging. Dr Sarah Sheard from Imperial College Healthcare, UK, invited her ECR audience to take a closer look at radiology’s climate footprint – and revealed ways to make the field more sustainable.
Article • Stepping outside of healthcare to help the planet
Radiologists as champions for health equity
Climate change will impact health and complicate access to care for the most vulnerable, but radiologists can do more than just sticking to their jobs. They should step outside the confines of their specialty and promote health and wellbeing in their communities, an eminent American radiologist explained at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Sponsored • Outlook for 2023
Hygiene in endoscopy: What’s next?
For many endoscopy wards, 2022 has been a year of transition and transformation. The field saw the advent of innovative reprocessing techniques, but also increasing strain due to personnel shortage and the demand for greater sustainability. We spoke with Paul Caesar, Reprocessing and Infection Control Leader EMEA at Pentax Medical, about the company’s upcoming solutions for the year ahead.
News • Greenhouse gas emissions
Reducing anesthetics reduces climate impact without increasing patient risk
Reducing the dosage of inhaled anesthetics during surgery can contribute to decreasing a hospital's greenhouse gas emissionses without affecting patient care, a new study shows.
News • Sustainability assessment
EU laws need to look at the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals, study finds
Current EU regulation does not adequately consider the environmental emissions of pharmaceuticals in global manufacturing supply chains, a recent study from Finland concludes.
Sponsored • Gastrointestinal endoscopy
Innovating products that balance patient safety and environmental concerns
As transparency surrounding the eco-footprint of hospitals becomes more important, medical device manufacturers must recognize the need for action to tackle global challenges, such as climate change.
News • Appeal for sustainability
POCT: Why the medical sector must tackle its single-use diagnostic waste
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of these single-use diagnostics, or point-of-care tests has exploded. This is having major environmental consequences, experts point out.
Article • Developing a sustainability calculator
Tackling the eco-footprint of healthcare
There is a growing awareness of the healthcare sector’s adverse impact on the environment due to its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). A recent report from the non-profit organisation Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) finds that globally, healthcare is responsible for 4.4 % of total net GHG emissions.
News • Sustainability study
Virtual care: saving environmental and patient cost
A new study finds that virtual care during the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and patient travel-related expenses, such as gasoline, parking or public transit costs.
News • Focus on sustainability
Exploring the value of health IT in fighting climate change
At this year's Medica (Nov 14-17), the Health IT Forum offers a special focus on how health IT can contribute to more sustainability in healthcare, and on optimising treatment workflows.
Article • Beyond economics
Coming soon: Sustainability reporting for hospitals
A company’s impact on society, economy and the environment cannot be measured in financial terms alone – and hospitals are no exception. On the contrary: the idea of measuring the quality of healthcare only in economic terms has always been fraught with problems. Hospitals as organizations have always played an important social role, and their environmental impact is increasingly recognized.
