Sustainability in Healthcare

Energy consumption and waste disposal are tremendous financial burdens for hospitals worldwide. Healthcare organizations in the US alone spend more than $8.3 billion a year on energy related to patient care. As for waste disposal, an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the medical waste stream worldwide is hazardous. The cost of medical waste management in the US, for example, is estimated to be around $2 billion and growing.**

One study estimates that every dollar a non-profit hospital saves on energy is equivalent to $20 in new revenue. So it’s clear that conserving energy and reducing waste can also dramatically improve a hospital’s bottom line. With energy-efficient design and far-reaching product recycling programs, Philips is helping to simplify healthcare in the exam room and beyond with more 20 Green products on the market.

*Source: EIA, CBECS 2003, adjusted for inflation to 2007 dollars -- Energy Star for Healthcare

** Source: U.S. Medical Waste Treatment, Containment, Management and Disposal Markets, BCC Research, September 2007.