APAC leading in sustainable healthcare and innovations: Philips survey

Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, has released the second set of Asia Pacific (APAC) findings of its Future Health Index (FHI) 2024 report: Better care for more people.

The ninth edition of the report, which surveyed nearly 3,000 healthcare leaders in 14 countries, including Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore, shows that APAC is leading the charge when it comes to sustainable healthcare, with healthcare leaders looking to invest in further sustainable innovation in the future.

Almost all leaders in the region (99%) believe that reducing the environmental impact and CO₂ emissions of the industry should be top priorities for healthcare organizations, above the global average of 86%.

Almost half (46%) also say their organisations have already implemented strategies to achieve a carbon neutral certification, with a further 40% planning to do so in the next three years. 45% of leaders say they are already setting targets for decarbonisation and tracking emissions, above the global average (31%).

Key sustainability strategies currently being implemented include using a renewable source of energy (53%), recycling waste wherever possible (50%), sustainable procurement, including the procurement of circular equipment (49%), prioritising reusable medical equipment and supplies, such as reducing single-use plastics (48%), and using virtual care technologies/remote monitoring to reduce emissions (47%).

The data from the report also highlights how healthcare leaders across the region are prioritising sustainable procurement and virtual care technologies. Nearly half (49%) have implemented sustainable procurement practices, such as using circular equipment, and another 43% plan to adopt these within the next three years. Reusable medical supplies are also a priority, with 48% already implementing this and 41% planning to do so. Additionally, 46% are selecting suppliers with sustainable targets, and 41% intend to do so in the near future.

In terms of operational improvements, 42% are focusing on reducing energy consumption, while 41% plan to leverage virtual care and remote monitoring to cut emissions within the next three years. Other key actions include eliminating hazardous substances and further expanding the use of reusable medical supplies.