OneView: Revolutionizing Surgery with Sustainability at Providence Healthcare System

Transforming Surgical Procedures with OneView

Providence healthcare system in Oregon is pioneering a new approach to surgical procedures with the introduction of a program named OneView. This innovative initiative is reducing the carbon footprint of surgical procedures by providing surgeons with a detailed overview of their individual contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. The program has been designed to not only increase awareness of the environmental impact of surgical processes but also to identify opportunities to reduce waste and make the operating suite more efficient.

How OneView Works

OneView uses surgical preference cards to calculate the emissions and energy usage for each procedure performed by a surgeon. The preference cards have been digitized, allowing for a streamlined and more accurate calculation of emissions. Furthermore, the program uses machine learning algorithms, which enables surgeons to adjust their preference lists to minimize their carbon footprint and associated costs.

What sets OneView apart is its ability to quantify both direct and indirect carbon emissions associated with surgical procedures. This includes the carbon emitted during the production of consumable goods used in surgery as well as the energy consumed during the procedure itself.

Benefits of Using OneView

One critical success of the OneView program is its substantial reduction of the hospital's greenhouse gas footprint. A pilot project at Providence's main operating room in Portland resulted in an impressive reduction of 850 metric tons of carbon per year. This has significant potential in contributing towards the broader goal of reducing the healthcare industry's total carbon footprint.

Financially, the program is also showing promising results. The reduction in waste and emissions is expected to save the hospital system between $6 and $9 million annually. This demonstrates that sustainability and cost-efficiency can go hand-in-hand in the healthcare sector.

Setting the Bar for Sustainability in Healthcare

Providence's OneView program is setting a new standard for sustainability in the healthcare industry. By allowing surgeons to see and compare their operating room emissions, the program ignites a sense of responsibility and encourages changes that can significantly reduce waste and emissions.

The initiative is not only about reducing the environmental footprint of surgeries, but it also aims to achieve these sustainability goals without compromising patient safety and outcomes. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to make Providence carbon neutral by 2030, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability that goes beyond the operating room.

OneView is a shining beacon of how technology and eco-consciousness can come together to revolutionize a sector. As healthcare systems across the globe grapple with the need to reduce their carbon footprints, initiatives like OneView serve as inspiring examples of the possible synergy between sustainability and healthcare.