July 31, 2024
Jelena Poprzen, left, a Clinical Quality Improvement consultant, and Dr. Bhavini Gohel lead sustainability efforts at South Health Campus. Photo by Leah Hennel.
Story by Melanie Veriotes | Photo by Leah Hennel
CALGARY — Over the past year, staff at South Health Campus (SHC) have made remarkable strides in plans to reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint by including sustainability in quality improvement efforts. Thanks to these efforts, SHC has been accredited as an International Beacon site — the first in North America — joining similar health organizations in New Zealand and Australia.
Being recognized as a Beacon site — a designation that’s awarded by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare in the UK — is an achievement given to organizations that have integrated sustainability into how they educate and train their staff in quality improvement. As part of these sustainability initiatives, staff at SHC have adopted the Centre's Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) framework.
"Achieving Beacon status is a testament to our commitment to sustainable healthcare practices," says Virginia Meyer , SHC senior operating officer. "Our work aligns with and builds upon our Environmental Sustainability policy, ensuring that we consider patient and population needs, environmental benefits or burdens, and fiscal responsibility in our healthcare delivery."
Dr. Bhavini Gohel, the physician spearheading the initiative, adds: “Healthcare significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly through acute care and supply chains. By mitigating these emissions, we can improve public health and reduce healthcare costs."
As an example, she notes that “greenhouse gas mitigation efforts can also lead to health co-benefits by reducing chronic diseases and mental illness.”
Gohel adds that for physicians, staff and patients, this designation means working towards a sustainable healthcare system that not only addresses current needs but also considers future impacts. The focus of the plan includes prevention, patient empowerment, lean clinical pathways, and low-carbon alternatives.
Looking ahead, the sustainability team at SHC has plans for more SusQI training, with workshops scheduled for September and November. Additionally, SHC will run its Green Team competition, as it expands these efforts to other sites.
