Consuming resources – Conserving resources

The healthcare sector consumes a great deal of resources. The Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research (ISI) quantified the annual consumption of resources by the provision of inpatient and outpatient services in Germany at approximately 107 million tons. Domestic resources only account for around one third of the resources consumed, with two thirds being attributed to imports. The sustainable use of natural resources is therefore an extremely important issue for Helios.

As a rule, the raw materials used by the healthcare sector have been processed into manufactured products. This means that a lower level of resource consumption can primarily be achieved by efficiently managing the use of these products. One example is the contribution made to extending lifetime through proper maintenance and care of medical appliances and equipment. Hospitals then have to purchase new appliances less frequently and this conserves valuable resources while generating cost savings at the same time.

Conserving resources in day-to-day hospital operations

In 2023, Helios put measures into practice to reduce the consumption of resources particularly in the area of administration. We set up printing on both sides of a sheet of paper on all multifunction devices, introduced automatic shutdown of PCs and monitors standing idle, and increased the proportion of recycled paper used. The only printing paper available is certified recycled paper. 75% of sanitary paper (for example toilet paper and paper used in towel dispensers) is recycled paper, and the proportion is being continually increased. Our Central Service Procurement and Logistics has replaced disposable disinfection wipes with wipes made from renewable materials. Since January 2023, we have been offering reusable food containers supplied by service provider Relevo in Helios cafeterias. We are working on further reducing the use of disposable tableware in our cafeterias, and an environmental charge will be introduced on disposable tableware from spring 2024.

We are also looking to conserve resources in the provision of private services. For example, services such as bath robes and cosmetic bags will only be provided on request. The service therefore continues to be available, but we are reducing the volume of products provided that in turn have to be unnecessarily disposed of or cleaned.

An important campaign for Helios related to the reduction in the number of disposable gloves used in 2023. The training campaign highlighted the improper use of non-sterile gloves and the associated huge consumption of resources this entailed. The hygiene experts at Helios developed training courses for all employees and these sessions raised awareness of the potential health hazards. This made an important contribution to patient safety and the safety of all our employees.

Reuse, not single use?

In 2023, the Central Service Procurement and Logistics drew up a Top 10 List of the most frequently purchased single-use products and reviewed whether a switch to reusable alternatives would be possible here. The result was that five out of the ten products could not be switched for reasons of hygiene. A switch was not possible in the five other products either for reasons of cost or owing to considerably more effort expended on the process. The analysis demonstrated that ultimately we can only avoid waste and conserve resources in the case of these products by reducing or optimizing consumption.