Today marks the launch of the Collective Healthcare Action to Reduce MedTech Emissions (CHARME) collaborative, aimed at cutting down greenhouse gas emissions from the extensive U.S. medical device and equipment supply chain. Representing 7% of U.S. health care greenhouse gas emissions, the MedTech supply chain is a significant contributor to environmental impact. Led by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council in partnership with Kaiser Permanente and Vizient, CHARME seeks to address this issue by bringing together 13 organizations, including major health systems, medical device suppliers, distributors, and other industry stakeholders.
CHARME aims to bridge existing gaps in decarbonization efforts, focusing on areas like manufacturing and transportation practices within the MedTech supply chain. Key participants such as Advocate Health, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cardinal Health, and others have expressed their commitment to the initiative, with more joining daily.
Kris Spriano, Interim CEO of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, expressed excitement about collaborating with influential players in the health care supply chain to identify, test, and promote best practices for reducing emissions.
Steve Chyung, senior vice president and chief supply chain & procurement executive at Kaiser Permanente, emphasized the organization’s dedication to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, citing the positive impact on both environmental and human health.
CHARME will draw on insights from the white paper “Catalyzing Collective Action to Decarbonize Healthcare Roadmap for Health Systems and MedTech Suppliers,” published in 2023 by Kaiser Permanente, Health Care Without Harm, and Accenture. This roadmap outlines a 24-month plan for collaborative efforts focused on renewable energy, product innovation, utilization, and transportation and logistics. CHARME aims to align industry efforts with this roadmap to achieve meaningful progress in emission reduction goals.
Simrit Sandhu, president of spend management at Vizient, expressed Vizient’s pride in co-chairing CHARME with Kaiser Permanente and its commitment to creating a resilient, environmentally sustainable MedTech supply chain.
