Facilitating co-creation of environmentally sustainable healthcare solutions

Abstract

The healthcare sector is one of the major contributors to negative effects on the environment. The healthcare sector is responsible for 7% of the total CO2 emission in the Netherlands (Milieuvoetafdruk rapportage, n.d.), 4% of waste, and 13% of use of resources (Green Deal Duurzame Zorg, n.d.). The emissions produced in, amongst others, the healthcare industry have a negative effect on the public health of the Dutch population. This paradox shows the growing need to make the healthcare sector more environmentally sustainable.

Project goal
This project aims to have a positive impact on the sustainability of the Interventional Cardiology department at Erasmus Medical Centre. The goal of the project is to:

“ Design a co-creation tool that provides a general approach for making medical products or protheses used at the Interventional Cardiology at Erasmus MC more environmentally sustainable. ”


Based on literature research and context research, multiple barriers and opportunties for co-creation of sustainable initiatives were found. These barriers were translated into opportunties for the design of the co-creation tool.
In the ideation phase, brainstorming sessies were held, and how-to questions were answered to find concepts for elements of the co-creation tool. The concepts were evaluated in multiple test sessions with people that work in the medical field and stakeholders from the Interventional Cardiology department. Iterations were made based on the insights from these test sessions.

Outcomes
A co-creation tool was designed for healthcare workers at the Interventional Cardiology department.
The tool consist of two different elements: The Sustainability Space, and the Co-creation toolkit.

The Sustainability Space serves as a basis for sustainability by raising awarenes and increasing the motivation for environmental sustainability amongst stakeholder at the Interventional Cardiology department. The Project Board provides a physical space for sustainabilty that attract attention, hereby raising awareness about the sustainability initiatives. The transparent presentation of the planned, active, and completed sustainability projects might help reduce the resistance to change, as this might be a consequence of unawareness of the need for sustainable improvements.

The co-creation toolkit provides a general approach for the initiation of sustainability projects. The steps in the proces help to establish or strengthen the relationships between stakeholders by creating mutual understanding. The collaborative goal setting activity helps to create goals that aim to align with the values and requirements of all stakeholders. This can create the feeling of a shared responsibility and ownership of the sustainability projects. Defining the goal (with a time-bound element) will improve the change of a succesful completion of the project.