42 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com to plant 10 million trees in South Carolina over 10 years, recognizes the need and the opportunity to make sustainability improvements. “Through these service activities, it’s become apparent that health care should be taking a leadership role in addressing these issues, and I believe that MUSC, as our state's academic medical center, should take that lead in South Carolina,” she asserted. From an economic standpoint, Dr. Johnson cited the statistic* that the health care industry could save up to $15 billion over the next 10 years by adopting more sustainable practices. She elaborated that individual hospitals could save millions of dollars through energy efficiency initiatives, waste reduction efforts and environmentally responsible purchasing. Sustainability has implications both for quality of care and staff work environment. Most importantly, sustainable solutions must address community health and well-being, said Dr. Johnson. “The greatest impact of adopting sustainable practices in health care is in addressing the economic, environmental and social determinants of health at the source: by creating healthy living and workspaces. These gains, in turn, would have a positive and measurable effect on the health of the local community, making sustainability-focused hospitals an even greater steward of population health.” Dr. Johnson referenced several areas in health care where sustainability can be improved, including green building design, the supply chain, cleaning supplies and waste management. She explained that efforts must involve mitigating factors that expose people to risk. In Charleston, that means tackling issues related to heat and flooding. SLI: EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF COMMERCE AND SUSTAINABILITY SLI fellows work alongside Furman University professors from the Shi Institute, with each class teaching about a different facet of sustainability. Dr. Johnson said that nearly all the ideas and goals discussed in the initiative thus far – two sessions had been held as of this writing – impact health care. SLI Director Courtney Quinn, Ph.D., a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Furman, lauded Dr. Johnson’s contributions. “Dr. Johnson has been an invaluable member of our inaugural SLI fellows’ cohort. She brings the unique lens of the intersectionality of the health of our natural environment with the health of human communities. Her kindness, patience and communication skills have been critical in creating a deeply connected group of SLI sustainability champions for South Carolina.” Industry leaders and speakers have discussed sustainable growth topics such as transportation and the use of electric buses. Dr. Johnson noted this issue’s relevance to MUSC, which has partnered with CARTA on transitioning toward electric buses. “We are framing this leadership experience around the intersection of commerce and sustainability and therefore are looking at strategies and practices through that lens,” she explained. The fellows have examined different models of sustainability, including the concept of doughnut economics as a road map to prosperity. They have scrutinized this idea of creating an ecological safe space where humanity can thrive and fostering systems that are safe and just and address health disparities of equity and access. “It’s our responsibility to address these issues,” proclaimed Dr. Johnson. What she finds especially rewarding about being part of the inaugural class is that she will be helping develop the program’s vision for future fellows, including contributing to creating a statement of purpose for the initiative that will guide the work of subsequent SLI groups. Additionally, they will recruit the next class and join in later sessions, building a statewide network of stakeholder leaders to engage in sustainability and climate change strategies and solutions. “We need to be forward thinking,” said Dr. Johnson. “And advocate for policies and change that needs to happen.” *Additional source: Health Trust.
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