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First-time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2025-26 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2024-25 who were active applicants in the 2025 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.
*RUSM has a first-time residency attainment rate of 96%, calculated as the percent of students attaining a 2025-26 residency position out of graduates or expected graduates in 2024-25 who were active applicants in the 2025 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match. AUC’s first-time residency attainment rate for 2024-2025 graduates and expected graduates is 95%. SABA’s four-year residency placement rate of 97% is calculated as the percent of students attaining a residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 who were active applicants in the NRMP match or attained a residency outside the NRMP match. As of July 17, 2025, they have not published their 2025 rates. SGU’s US residency placement rate of 94% pertains to graduates over five years from 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 with the rate calculated as the total number of students/graduates who obtained a US residency divided by the total number of students/graduates who applied to a US residency program in a given year as of April 2025.
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Modern healthcare saves lives, but it also consumes vast amounts of energy, water, and materials in the process. Hospitals are among the most resource-intensive buildings to operate, and medical supply chains stretch across the globe. As climate change increasingly affects human health, professionals in every medical field are being called to understand how sustainability in healthcare can reduce environmental harm while improving patient outcomes.
For those entering medicine, understanding sustainability in healthcare is part of learning how to deliver safe, efficient, and equitable patient care in a changing world. Physicians, administrators, and policymakers all influence how medical systems use energy and materials. By understanding sustainable, green healthcare practices now, future healthcare leaders can help design systems that protect both people and the environment.
According to the American Hospital Association (AHA)’s Sustainability Roadmap, sustainability in healthcare—sometimes called green healthcare—involves integrating environmental stewardship into everyday clinical and operational decisions. The goal is to provide high-quality patient care while conserving energy and minimizing environmental impact.
Sustainability in healthcare depends on finding balance. The goal is to maintain patient safety and quality care while reducing harm to the environment. The AHA’s Health Care Leader’s Guide to Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship encourages hospitals to view environmental responsibility as a natural extension of patient care. Integrating stewardship into operational decisions such as managing energy use, reducing waste, and sourcing materials responsibly supports both clinical outcomes and long-term system resilience.
Some organizations also reap benefits through their participation in the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE)’s Energy to Care Program, which helps track, manage, and communicate energy savings.
An article in the American Medical Association (AMA)’s Journal of Ethics similarly notes that healthcare organizations have an ethical duty to protect the environment as part of their mission to improve public health. Leaders who adopt sustainability frameworks help build systems that benefit patients, staff, and the broader community.
Technology is helping healthcare facilities measure, manage, and reduce their environmental impact. Tools such as smart energy systems, electronic health records, and telemedicine platforms lower resource use without sacrificing efficiency. As innovation continues, technology will remain central to achieving sustainability goals in clinical and operational settings.
Healthcare operations consume large amounts of energy and generate significant waste through single-use products, packaging, and equipment. Research in Health Policy highlights how reducing reliance on single-use materials and improving waste management systems can substantially decrease the sector’s environmental impact.
According to data from Practice Greenhealth’s 2025 Environmental Excellence Awards, in a single year, hospitals can generate more than 5 million tons of waste, with the bulk of it coming from single-use plastics. In fact, 20% to 25% of the 14,000 tons of waste hospitals generate daily is plastic. Many healthcare facilities are working to reduce this problem—for example, 47.6% of Practice Greenhealth partner hospitals reported plastic reduction efforts were part of their sustainability initiatives in 2024.
As concerns about climate change continue to grow, more facilities are taking practical steps to complete a climate resilience plan. Although only 38% of partner hospitals reported having a plan in 2023, that number quickly increased to 61% the following year.
Also in 2024, seven in 10 healthcare facilities said they had taken concrete steps to reduce their climate impact. Healthcare facilities also reported:
The World Health Organization (WHO) calls for climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare facilities that can reduce emissions while maintaining patient safety. The WHO’s framework helps hospitals adopt greener designs, cleaner supply chains, and waste-reduction measures that collectively lower their carbon footprint.
Efforts to reduce waste include advanced recycling programs, safer chemical management, and responsible energy use. While reprocessing medical tools can reduce environmental impact, it must meet strict sterilization standards to prevent infection risk. True sustainability in healthcare protects both patient safety and environmental health.
When healthcare facilities operate responsibly, they contribute directly to improved health outcomes, efficiency, trust, and lower utility bills.
By reducing pollution, waste, and toxic exposure, sustainable healthcare practices help prevent environmental situations that could lead to illnesses hospitals are often tasked with treating. Safer waste management practices can lead to cleaner water and air, lowering the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in surrounding communities.
Healthcare facilities that adopt sustainable design principles, such as improved ventilation, natural lighting, and the use of nontoxic materials, create safer environments for healing. These improvements contribute to faster recovery times, lower infection risks, and healthier outcomes for both patients and local residents.
Sustainability also supports long-term operational stability. Energy-efficient buildings, renewable power systems, and responsible supply chain management may help lower costs while improving reliability. These measures help healthcare facilities reduce waste, manage resources more effectively, and improve system performance over time. As operations become more efficient, organizations can redirect savings toward patient care, innovation, and community programs.
Public trust in healthcare grows when organizations demonstrate transparency, accountability, and a commitment to community well-being. Sustainable practices signal that healthcare leaders are thinking beyond immediate outcomes and considering the long-term health of their patients and environments.
Facilities recognized for excellence in sustainability set benchmarks for others in the industry and show that responsible operations and high-quality care can go hand in hand.
Creating a more sustainable healthcare system begins with intentional planning and participation at every level. Hospitals and clinics can reduce their environmental footprint by assessing current operations, setting measurable goals, and engaging staff in long-term change.
Sustainability starts with understanding where improvement is needed. Hospitals can conduct environmental audits to evaluate energy use, water consumption, and waste management. A commentary in the AMA’s Journal of Ethics emphasizes that healthcare leaders should view environmental stewardship as a professional obligation.
Key focus areas often include:
Change is most effective when it involves everyone. Physicians, nurses, administrators, and maintenance teams all contribute to a hospital’s environmental performance. Educational campaigns, green committees, and recognition programs can encourage participation and accountability. Open communication also helps maintain momentum. When staff understand how sustainability supports both patient care and cost efficiency, engagement improves across departments.
Tracking sustainability efforts builds transparency and drives continued improvement. Metrics such as energy savings, waste diversion rates, and emissions reductions can show measurable outcomes that leaders can report internally and externally. ASHE highlights hospitals and health systems that achieve measurable progress in energy reduction and decarbonization, recognizing their leadership in environmental responsibility. These examples show how data-driven sustainability programs can inspire continuous improvement across the healthcare industry.
Ethical decision-making in healthcare increasingly includes responsibility for the environmental conditions that influence human health. The air people breathe, the water they rely on, and the waste generated by healthcare facilities all affect the same populations that medicine aims to protect.
Balancing patient care with sustainability goals requires careful consideration. Providers must ensure that sustainability measures such as reducing energy use or limiting materials never compromise safety or quality of care.
Healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned to advocate for sustainability within their institutions and professional networks. Their clinical expertise and community trust give them the authority to guide policies that reduce environmental harm and improve population health.
Integrating environmental awareness into leadership and education ensures that sustainability becomes part of the standard of care.
Sustainability in healthcare continues to evolve through innovation, policy, and collaboration. These developments are helping the industry reduce its environmental footprint while improving efficiency, safety, and equity.
Sustainable innovation is driving how healthcare facilities and providers rethink care delivery and resource management. Key examples include:
Together, these innovations show how technology and leadership are aligning to make sustainability an integral part of modern healthcare rather than a separate initiative.
Practices Policy remains one of the most influential forces in shaping sustainable healthcare. Governments and professional organizations are developing standards that link sustainability to accreditation, funding, and community health.
The WHO’s 2024 guidance on climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare facilities demonstrates how policy frameworks can embed sustainability into healthcare systems at every level. These efforts indicate that future healthcare policies will increasingly require measurable environmental performance as part of quality care.
Collaboration continues to drive innovation and accountability in sustainable healthcare. Partnerships between healthcare organizations, research institutions, and environmental groups are producing new ways to reduce emissions, improve waste management, and track climate-related health outcomes.
These collaborative networks are helping connect environmental and clinical data, allowing healthcare leaders to make more informed decisions that benefit both people and the planet. As these partnerships expand, they signal a future where sustainability becomes a shared responsibility across disciplines.
The four pillars are environmental, economic, social, and human sustainability. Together, they support long-term health outcomes without compromising resources for future generations.
The five C’s are creativity, commitment, collaboration, communication, and competence. These guide sustainable practices across healthcare systems and organizations.
Sustainability in healthcare means delivering quality care in ways that protect public health, reduce environmental impact, and ensure long-term system resilience.
Sustainable healthcare, sometimes called green healthcare, aims to improve health outcomes while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining long-term resource balance.
The four R’s are reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. These practices help limit waste and promote responsible resource use.
The information and material contained in this article and on this website are for informational purposes only and should not be considered, or used in place of, professional medical advice. Please speak with a licensed medical provider for specific questions or concerns. Ross Med is not responsible for the information maintained or provided on third-party websites or external links.