Episodios

  • 092 Planetary Boundaries & Health with Mia Heide from WELA

    092 Planetary Boundaries & Health with Mia Heide from WELA
    Nov 5 2025
    Planetary boundaries, wellbeing & healthcare with Mia Heide (WELA)

    What does it actually mean for human health that we’ve now exceeded 7 out of 9 planetary boundaries – up from 6 out of 9 in 2023 – and how should healthcare systems respond?

    In this episode, we're joined by Mia Heide, engineer and researcher at WELA – Wellbeing Economy Lab, to unpack the latest science and what it implies for policy, practice, and care pathways. Sustainable Healthcare Podcast …

    We talk about:
    • What the planetary boundaries framework is – and why it’s about hard limits, not “nice-to-have” goals
    • The new 2025 assessment showing we’ve transgressed 7/9 boundaries, and what changed since 2023

    • How to downscale planetary boundaries to a country level (e.g. Denmark) using different sharing principles – equal per capita, capacity to reduce, historical responsibility, and “grandfathering”

    • Why some principles give wealthy countries like Denmark a negative carbon budget, and why “equal” is not the same as “fair”

    • The concept of decent living standards – what’s the minimum energy and material footprint needed to secure basic human needs globally?

    • Health impacts of specific boundaries once we overshoot them, including:
      • Climate change: extreme weather, heat stress, displacement and food security
      • Freshwater change: water scarcity, sanitation breakdown, conflict risk
      • Novel entities (PFAS, microplastics, synthetic chemicals): cancer risk, hormone disruption, fertility impacts – and why this is hugely under-discussed in public health

    • The uncomfortable paradox: we need to meet basic needs and stay within limits – and every tonne of CO₂ still counts

    • Why healthcare decarbonisation must be seen in a two-way relationship:
      • Healthcare activities impact planetary boundaries
      • Overshooting those boundaries, in turn, undermines population health and health system resilience

    • Where Mia still finds motivation and drive in 2025 – and why “a different world is possible” is not just a slogan
    About our guest – Mia Heide & WELA
    Mia Heide is an engineer and researcher at WELA – Wellbeing Economy Lab, a Danish, independent think tank working for a wellbeing economy where societal progress is measured by the ability to create good lives for all within planetary boundaries – now and for future generations.

    Resources & links mentioned
    • Mia’s working paper (in Danish)
      “Trivsel inden for de planetære grænser” – WELA working paper on planetary boundaries, wellbeing and health
      👉 WELA publications page: https://www.wellbeingeconomylab.com/udgivelser
    • Decent living standards & minimum energy
      Millward-Hopkins et al. (2020): “Providing decent living with minimum energy: A global scenario”
      👉 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378020307512
    • Planetary boundaries & latest assessments
      • Richardson et al. (2023) – updated assessment of the planetary boundaries (Stockholm Resilience Centre)
      • Planetary Health Check 2025 – Executive Summary (global status update)
        👉 https://www.planetaryhealthcheck.org/wp-content/uploads/PlanetaryHealthCheck2025_ExecutiveSummary.pdf
    If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a colleague, rate the show, or suggest future guests – it really helps us bring more voices like Mia’s into the sustainable healthcare conversation.
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    39 m
  • 091 SHC - the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition - Fiona Adshead, Keith Moore and Nathalie Preiswerk

    091 SHC - the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition - Fiona Adshead, Keith Moore and Nathalie Preiswerk
    Oct 27 2025
    Show Notes — Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (SHC): From Care Pathways to Greener Clinical Trials Guests:
    • Fiona — Chair, Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (SHC)
    • Keith Moore — Programme Coordinator, SHC
    • Natalie — Community of Practice Moderator, SHC
    Host: Frederik Dam van Deurs (Green Innovation Group & Care Pathway Consulting) Episode in a nutshell We sit down with the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (SHC) to unpack what it really takes to decarbonize healthcare—both at the level of everyday care pathways and the specialized world of clinical trials. We cover SHC’s origin story with the NHS, why scope 3 (supply chain) matters, how SHC evolved into a not-for-profit platform connecting public and private actors, and the tools and frameworks helping systems act now. Natalie also previews the first in-person conference of the Sustainable Clinical Trials – Community of Practice in London on 4 November 2025—a highly interactive day shaping the community’s 2026 agenda. What we cover
    • SHC origin & mission: From a UK roundtable (2011) to a global, not-for-profit platform bridging health systems and industry on sustainability.
    • Why scope 3 is the big lever: Pharma and med-tech footprints, and how collaborative forums beat procurement-only dialogues.
    • Three universal priorities for greener care:
      1. Shift care closer to the patient,
      2. Use digital tools to empower patients and providers,
      3. Double down on prevention.
    • Prevention in practice: Partnering with people, designing prevention into systems (e.g., vaccination, slowing CKD progression), and supporting self-management (e.g., smart inhalers).
    • Care pathways vs. clinical trials: Why trials deserve their own framework (CROs, labs, regulators, logistics) even if they mirror care pathways.
    • Where trial emissions often sit: Participant travel, site/monitor travel, labs, and investigational product logistics—plus the promise (and limits) of decentralization.
    • Start here: Assess your own trial portfolio and therapeutic areas—hotspots and best levers vary with the carbon intensity of the product/API and trial design.
    • Hope, pragmatism & momentum: System optimization saves costs and resources and cuts CO₂e—progress doesn’t have to feel like sacrifice.
    Key takeaways
    • Systems thinking wins: Cross-sector collaboration is essential; no single stakeholder can decarbonize healthcare alone.
    • Measure to move: Practical calculators and worked examples help teams find hotspots and act fast.
    • Prevention is premium care: The most sustainable pathway is the one where patients don’t get sick—but it requires genuine partnership with people.
    Memorable moments
    • “The most sustainable patient journey is the one where the patient never gets sick.”
    • “Clinical trials are like care pathways with extra moving parts—CROs, labs, ethics, regulators—so they need their own rulebook.”
    • “Even if climate isn’t your prime driver, system optimization cuts waste and saves money—why wouldn’t you do it?”
    Links & resources
    • SHC COP Conference (London, 4 Nov 2025): shcoalition.org/cop-conference/
    • Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (main site): shcoalition.org
    • LinkedIn Group – Sustainable Clinical Trials: Community of Practice: linkedin.com/groups/13149469/
    Más Menos
    33 m
  • 090 Data-Driven Decarbonization of Danish Hospitals with Thea and Rasmus

    090 Data-Driven Decarbonization of Danish Hospitals with Thea and Rasmus
    Sep 25 2025
    Data-Driven Decarbonization of Danish Hospitals — with Rasmus & Thea Summary

    How do Denmark’s regions actually use data to steer the green transition in hospitals—and what does it change on the ground?

    In this episode, Rasmus (Region Midtjylland) and Thea (Region Syddanmark) unpack why procurement dominates the footprint in Denmark, how a “climate management model” guides reductions, and what happens when you move from single-use to multi-use—or simply stop buying low-value items altogether.

    We also touch on tricky boundary topics like ambulances (listen to the deep dive we did with David from falck in episode 056), staff/patient transport, and why energy is a smaller lever in Denmark than in many other countries.

    Guests:
    • Rasmus — Center for Sustainable Hospitals, Central Denmark Region (Region Midtjylland). Builds the sustainability data system and evaluates environmental impacts of change projects.
    • Thea — Region of Southern Denmark (Region Syddanmark). Leads carbon baseline work and helps prioritize, start, and track decarbonization projects.
    What we cover
    • Why procurement (the “stuff we buy”) is the main lever in Danish hospitals
    • Energy & transport in Denmark: why grid mix and modern buildings downplay energy, and what’s in/out of scope on transport
    • The Climate Management Model: back-casting to net-zero and allocating reductions across strategies
    • The reduction hierarchy in practice: avoid → switch to multi-use → supplier requirements
    • A simple starter win: phasing out disposable exam table paper (“lejepapir”) and measuring the CO₂ impact
    • Change management realities: engaging clinicians and aligning purchasing pathways
    Key takeaways
    • In Denmark, procurement drives the footprint more than energy or (in-scope) transport.
    • Start at the top of the ladder: avoid use where clinically acceptable, then shift to multi-use, then green the supply chain.
    • A shared climate management model turns scattered projects into a coherent path to net-zero—and makes results comparable across regions.
    Resources (DK)
    • Common Sustainability Strategy for Danish Regions – includes the focus on data-driven progress (PDF):
      regioner.dk/media/0mapejdn/en-faellesregional-strategi-for-groenne-hospitaler.pdf

    • Strategy for “Grønne hospitaler” – background, initiatives, and updates:
      regioner.dk/regional-udvikling/groenne-hospitaler/

    • Capital Region video – Klimastyringsmodellen: et værktøj til monitorering og retning (how the climate management model works):
      regionh.dk/til-fagfolk/klima-og-miljoe/groen-omstilling-af-hospitalerne/co2-indsatser…/klimastyringsmodellen-et-vaerktoej-til-monitorering-og-retning.aspx
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    30 m
  • 089 - Koen Kas transforming healthcare and clinical trials

    089 - Koen Kas transforming healthcare and clinical trials
    Sep 9 2025
    Prof. Dr. Koen Kas—healthcare futurist and founder of Healthskouts—joins us to explore how “Delight Thinking” and 24/7 digital twins can shift care from reactive sickcare to proactive health.

    We unpack real-world models like Best Buy’s at-home monitoring, and how redesigning care and going remote-by-default can also reduce emissions.

    Koen dives into N=1 clinical trials, federated learning, and Tim Berners-Lee’s Solid personal data pods—and shares insights from his new book, Epic, on building healthspan and “fullness.”

    Check out Koen's work on:

    https://koenkas.com/
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    45 m
  • 088 - Circular material flow of medication in the intensive care unit

    088 - Circular material flow of medication in the intensive care unit
    Aug 28 2025
    Circular Medication Flows in the ICU — What the Data Really Say
    Host: Frederik Van Deurs
    Guests: Jasper Klasen (Adult Intensive Care, Erasmus MC) and Nicole Hunfeld (Hospital Pharmacy, Erasmus MC)

    How much medication and packaging does an ICU actually use—and where does it all end up?

    A new study mapped the flows and uncovered practical levers to cut waste without compromising care.

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40394680/

    https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-025-05434-3
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    29 m
  • 087 - Sustainability insights from 290 nurses and clinicians w. Michael Maagard Region Midt

    087 - Sustainability insights from 290 nurses and clinicians w. Michael Maagard Region Midt
    Aug 11 2025
    Understanding Clinicians' Perspectives on Sustainability: A Survey Insight

    Join Joachim from Green Innovation Group and Michael Maagaard from the Central Danish region as they delve into the findings of a survey on how healthcare workers perceive and act upon sustainability.

    They discuss the key themes of motivation, shared responsibility, practical roadblocks, and the need for better tools, visibility, and leadership to support sustainable practices in healthcare settings.

    00:46 Importance of the Survey

    03:59 Survey Findings: Clinicians' Knowledge and Motivation

    04:12 Theme 1: Knowledge vs. Action in Sustainability

    09:10 Theme 2: Shared Responsibility but Limited Results

    21:35 Theme 3: High Motivation Among Staff

    26:02 Theme 4: Practical Roadblocks in Implementation

    32:55 Theme 5: Missing Links - Tools, Visibility, and Leadership
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    40 m
  • 086 Sustainable Healthcare Podcast Michael Maagaard

    086 Sustainable Healthcare Podcast Michael Maagaard
    Jul 21 2025
    Driving Sustainable Change in Healthcare: Insights from Michael Maagaard

    Join us in this episode of the Sustainable Healthcare Podcast with Michael Maagaard from the Center for Sustainable Hospitals in Denmark.

    Michael discusses his background in educational psychology and healthcare, the rapid growth of their sustainability center, and their efforts in integrating sustainability within hospital operations. Learn about the challenges and solutions in implementing sustainable practices, the role of collaboration with suppliers, and practical steps to reduce waste and improve outcomes in healthcare.

    Key takeaways include the importance of using less, using longer, and using greener in healthcare settings.

    00:00 Introduction to the Sustainable Healthcare Podcast
    00:29 Meet Michael Mojo: Background and Role
    02:09 Center for Sustainable Hospitals: Mission and Growth
    04:05 Challenges and Strategies in Sustainability
    07:14 Clinicians' Concerns and Hygiene Issues
    17:38 Sustainability Agreements and Success Stories
    22:32 Collaborations with Suppliers and Industry
    32:05 Key Learnings in Change Management
    35:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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    36 m
  • 085 - Navigating the Demand Revolution in Sustainable Healthcare with Nicolai Broby Eckert

    085 - Navigating the Demand Revolution in Sustainable Healthcare with Nicolai Broby Eckert
    Jul 11 2025
    Commercializing Sustainability in Healthcare: Insights from 'The Demand Revolution'

    In this episode of the Sustainable Healthcare Podcast, host Joachim interviews Nicolai Broby Eckert, a senior partner at Simon-Kucher and author of 'The Demand Revolution'.

    They discuss the challenges and opportunities in commercializing sustainability in pharma, MedTech, and healthcare sectors. Nicolai shares key insights from his book, including:

    - The importance of affordable green products
    - 85% of consumers are on a sustainability journey - you should segment based on this
    - Strategic plays companies can adopt to integrate sustainability into their business models.


    00:00 Intro
    00:11 Meet Our Guest: Nikolai, Author of 'The Demand Revolution'
    00:57 The Disconnect Between CEOs and Consumers on Sustainability
    02:56 Consumer Behavior and Sustainability: Key Findings
    07:35 Strategic Implications for Companies
    10:42 Sustainability in Pharma and MedTech
    16:42 The Importance of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
    21:03 The Kodak Moment: Risks and Opportunities
    25:35 Innovative Strategies for Sustainability
    33:43 Final Thoughts and Where to Find More Information
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    36 m