Sustainability has become a hot topic across industries, but how does it tie into healthcare? In 2023, Catalyst by Wellstar conducted a study to understand what consumers knew—and the results were disappointing.
“Most consumers just didn’t get it,” said Fran Linnane, Research Strategist at Catalyst by Wellstar. “They didn’t understand what sustainability meant or why it was important to the healthcare industry.” Only 10% of respondents were aware of healthcare’s sustainability impact, and just 36% thought it was important.
Fast forward to December 2024, and the results told a completely different story. We repeated the study—but this time, they added a short educational component explaining healthcare’s environmental footprint.
“We saw a major shift—a major recognition on their part that our efforts to improve sustainability were indeed important,” Linnane shared.
The impact of just a few facts was remarkable:
-73% of consumers now recognized the importance of sustainability in healthcare (up from 10%).
– 80% believed sustainability should be a priority for healthcare organizations (up from 36%).
– 67% said sustainability influences their provider choice, showing a growing preference for healthcare companies that take action (up from 50%).
What Do Consumers Care About Most?
The study revealed three top priorities for consumers when it comes to sustainability in healthcare:
– Waste Reduction – “61% of people said, ‘Yes, I understand now. I had no idea that healthcare was a use-it-once-and-throw-it-away industry.’” Consumers are realizing the environmental cost of disposable medical products.
– Energy Efficiency – “They didn’t understand that the healthcare industry uses 10% of all the energy and that creates 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the country. That’s massive.” Once consumers learned this, more than half felt urgent action was needed.
– Recycling & Reuse – “We are an industry that basically just uses something once and throws it away. That’s kind of overkill.” Consumers want to see smarter, more sustainable practices where possible.
What This Means for Healthcare Companies
Sustainability isn’t just a corporate responsibility—it’s a consumer expectation.
“In 2023, we assumed sustainability was relevant to everybody—but we realized it wasn’t,” Linnane explained. “By 2024, with just a few soundbites about our footprint, we saw a transformative shift.”
To stay relevant, healthcare organizations need to:
– Educate consumers on why sustainability in healthcare matters.
– Take visible action in reducing waste, energy use, and emissions.
– Align sustainability efforts with patient values to build trust and loyalty.
The message from consumers is clear: Sustainability matters. Are healthcare companies listening?
