Climate
Climate Resilience in Healthcare
Extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and disruptions to supply chains all threaten the ability of healthcare systems to deliver high-quality care while controlling escalating costs. Increasing regulations and stakeholder demands also require climate action to be integrated within any modern healthcare organization.
Oakwell’s Approach to Climate Action in Healthcare
We take a comprehensive approach to helping health systems mitigate their climate impacts and build resiliency to ensure continuous operations. Our services encompass:
- Climate Risk Assessment — We identify your organization’s vulnerabilities and prioritize areas for increased resiliency in the face of a changing climate.
- Goal Setting — We guide your organization to set intermediate and long-term goals and engage the appropriate stakeholders throughout the process.
Why Focus on Climate Mitigation and Resilience?
The impact of climate change on human health and healthcare is undeniable. 8.5% of U.S.-based greenhouse gas emissions are from the healthcare industry. Prevention and preparedness are essential for the changing industry landscape. It likely affects your health system in the following ways:
Patient Health and Safety
Extreme weather events and shifting climate and weather patterns increase injuries, exacerbate existing health conditions, and put entire communities at risk, often putting additional strain on medical resources.
Disruptions to Operations
Extreme weather events can disrupt power grids, damage facilities, imperil access to essential supplies, and impede the ability to deliver uninterrupted care.
Increased Demand for Services
Climate change is expected to lead to an increase in heat-related illnesses, respiratory problems, and zoonotic and waterborne diseases.
Climate Mitigation
We define the procedure and structure to measure and reduce Scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions accurately and continuously in line with established goals
Infrastructure Optimization
We help you improve energy efficiency, reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and enhance the resilience of your facilities, making them better equipped to handle extreme weather events.
Sustainable Procurement
We guide you in the upstream selection of suppliers with strong environmental practices and climate commitments reducing your supply chain vulnerabilities.
Emergency Preparedness Planning
We collaborate with your team to develop robust plans for responding to climate-related emergencies.
Community Collaboration
We encourage and foster partnerships with local organizations to build a more resilient healthcare ecosystem.
Reporting
We simplify, streamline, and improve both mandated and voluntary reporting, enabling your organization to share its growing successes internally and externally.
Your Sustainability Management Partner for Climate Concerns
By mitigating your carbon emissions, leveraging innovations in the built environment, and design planning for a more resilient system, you can ensure your organization maintains financial strength to deliver high-quality care for generations to come.
Benefits of Resilience in Healthcare
By taking proactive steps towards climate action, you can:
