When Innovation Aligns Cost and Sustainability in Healthcare

There is often an idea in the modern collective consciousness that a focus on sustainability and an eco-conscious mindset are antithetical to economic efficiency. Different people can have different views on which objective is more important, and one would be hard pressed to find an easy solution. With healthcare costs already high, representing around 12% of Canada’s GDP (1), many policymakers and taxpayers may be reluctant at the idea of further ballooning these costs, even if the sector also accounts for approximately 4.6% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions (2).

Yet in medicine, maximizing output doesn’t have to equate to economic sacrifices and vice versa. Given healthcare’s scale and energy intensity, this balance is particularly worth exploring.

Several innovations illustrate how environmental and financial efficiency can go hand in hand.

AI in healthcare has been greatly discussed, especially in areas such as AI judgment and data security. Yet its uses can extend beyond handling patient data. A recent development has been the creation of “smart hospitals,” where artificial intelligence optimally regulates heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems (3). By adapting power use to demand, waste is reduced along with the environmental impacts of healthcare. A hospital implementing such systems in operating rooms was able to reduce power use by nearly 40%. Studies show no negative impact on surgical sterility, highlighting that there is little to no compromise on the quality of patient care (3).

Digital triage solutions also show promise. For instance, a company called Huma, through transmitting data and allowing for remote monitoring to optimize patient and healthcare team workflow, has reduced admission rates by 30%, time spent reviewing patients by 40%, and time calling patients by 60% in systems where it is used (4). It engages patients in an active role by collecting vitals and other reports via a smartphone app, triaging dangerous cases, and facilitating healthcare connections when actions need to be taken. This platform thus works to simultaneously reduce the resources needed per patient while supporting better outcomes.

While a physical physician–patient connection is important, creating that contact is often costly and impractical, especially in remote and less financially privileged locations. Telemedicine can be especially powerful in addressing gaps in medical coverage. For instance, the Indian eSanjeevani platform facilitated over 276 million medical consultations from 2019 to 2024, allowing many in rural communities to receive medical advice without large infrastructure projects or long-distance travel, along with the environmental and economic price both would entail. This technology also aids in distributing medical talent that might otherwise have been confined to wealthier, more populated areas and hospitals.

These are just a small sample of how medical innovation can help sustainability bypass traditional political deadlocks and create healthcare that supports both efficiency and planetary health. To create a cheaper and more sustainable future, it is important to move beyond the false dichotomy of economic value versus environmental impact and instead collaborate in interdisciplinary teams of healthcare providers, engineers, and economic planners to move all goals forward together.

References:

1. How is health care funded in Canada? | CMA [Internet]. [cited 2025 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.cma.ca/how-health-care-funded-canada 

2. Why Canada needs a net-zero health system | CMA [Internet]. [cited 2025 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.cma.ca/our-focus/net-zero-emissions-health-system/why-canada-needs-net-zero-health-system

3. Olawade DB, Popoola TT, Egbon E, David-Olawade AC. Sustainable healthcare practices: Pathways to a carbon-neutral future for the medical industry. Sustainable Futures. 2025 Jun;9:100783. doi:10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100783 

4. Transforming healthcare: Navigating Digital Health with a value-driven approach [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2025 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Transforming_Healthcare_2024.pdf 

5. Dastidar BG, Jani AR, Suri S, Nagaraja VH. Reimagining India’s national telemedicine service to improve access to care. The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia. 2024 Nov;30:100480. doi:10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100480