Towards Green and Sustainable Healthcare: A Literature Review and Research Agenda for Green Leadership in the Healthcare Sector

Abstract

The health sector is one of the keys to sustainable development. Although it is directly related to only one Sustainable Development Goal (Goal 3, “Ensuring a healthy life and promoting well-being at all ages”), the sector itself, which aims to protect health, is paradoxically at the same time the main emitter of environmental pollutants that have a negative impact on health itself. Therefore, sustainability has become a key priority for health sector organizations, and leadership in this area is essential at all levels. Scientific research plays a particular role here, helping to more clearly define the links between environmental sustainability and the health effects of a polluted environment and climate change as well as indicating the direction of actions needed and disseminating good practices that can help accelerate the adoption of efforts towards climate neutrality and sustainable development of health sector organizations. The aim of this article is to present the current state of the art and future research scenarios in the field of green and sustainable healthcare through a literature review by using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to perform a bibliometric analysis of papers published in 2012–2022. The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database is used for this purpose. A total of 144 papers are included for analysis, categorized based on eight fields: author(s), title, year of publication, country, journal, scientific category, and number of citations. Based on the results, themes for future research on green leadership in the healthcare sector are identified and recommended.

Sustainability is a core outcome: filling research gaps in sustainable peri‐operative care

“…There is increasing acknowledgement that the complexities of sustainable healthcare require research that transcends sectors and leverages expertise across disciplines. Interdisciplinary research is therefore a hallmark of quality [30, 31]. Engineering solutions, computer science and behavioural science are all examples of where engaging across sectors to deliver on new interventions in sustainable healthcare research has proven benefit.…”

Exploring the Economic Aspects of Hospitals: A Comprehensive Examination of Relevant Factors

“…which are easily available to the hospitals should be explored as they will reduce the electricity cost a lot. These alternative or green sources of energy are the most cost-effective solution not only for hospitals but also for the overall nation [ 29 ]. Another solution is not to have a centralized air conditioner system, because most of these units are on throughout even if the facility is unused.…”

Green hospitals face to climate change: Between sobriety and resilience

“…This includes the purchase of medical equipment and medicines, as well as patient and staff transportation and food. In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) emits 18 million tons of CO2 annually, accounting for almost a quarter of the total emissions coming from the public sector [ 2 , 3 ]. In the US, total gas emissions from healthcare organizations increased by 6 % from 2010 to 2018 [ 4 , 5 ].…”