INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE, GOOD PRACTICES AND PROPOSAL FOR A GREEN HEALTHCARE SECTOR

"Healthcare is one of the largest service industries; in 2007 the world sector expenditure totaled US$ 5.3 trillion, equal to almost 10% of all GDP of industrialized countries. Due to its size and its characteristics healthcare is one of the most energy intensive sector, consumer of water and producer of waste. In England it count for 25% public sector Green House Gases emission, in US it counts for 7% of CO2 emission. The figures show of important would be implementing strategies for mitigate its negative effect on the ecosystems. Realizing more sustainable hospitals generate significant positive effects not only on the environment conditions, but both on the quality and on management cost reduction of hospitals facilities. According to a study if all US hospitals would adopt a sustainable agenda the national healthcare costs would save more than US $5.4 billion in five years and US $ 15 billion in ten years. For those reasons at the international level is growing a global network to propose and share the best practices for “green” healthcare management. Globally the largest organizations on this field are Healthcare Without Harms, the World Health Organization and the Health and Environment Alliance. In the paper are identified the common point of the agendas proposed by those global organization. Those critical points are summarized in six areas: Energy production and consumption, Waste, Water, Transport, Purchasing and Building."