Building A Global Net-Zero Healthcare 4.0 Ecosystem

University of Miami Digital Strategist, Institute SEI Founder, Revexpo Consulting Founder, CEO Softhread, Ethicist, Innovator.

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The net-zero economy is poised to grow exponentially over the next decade and will impact all industries, including healthcare and life sciences. Developing a net-zero global healthcare ecosystem is a moral imperative, as well as a business necessity. It will require significant multistakeholder collaborations and harmonization with other major current global initiatives and efforts such as the transition to genomics-powered precision health, equitable health and smart health efforts that will leverage the next generation of the internet called Web3.

When we examine each industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, we realize the importance of attaining a net-zero healthcare ecosystem, as healthcare is a major culprit, accounting for 4.6% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S., this statistic is even more concerning as the healthcare sector contributes 8.5% of the national carbon emissions level. While moving to healthcare 4.0 is exciting for the future of population and public health, it can also exponentially increase these emissions if we do not start changing the paradigm and focusing on a net-zero approach.

In 2021, healthcare institutions representing over 3,000 facilities in 18 countries joined the United Nations race and committed to halving climate emissions by 2030 to achieve net zero by 2050. The key action items that need to be achieved by these healthcare stakeholders by 2050 are outlined in a road map called Health Care Without Harm. This road map contains policy recommendations, fact sheets, technical architecture specifications and methodologies that can be used to attain the ambitious goal and create a net-zero-focused healthcare renaissance.

The New England Journal of Medicine took a leading role in 2021 by addressing the possibility of mandatory reporting of emissions to achieve net zero. Furthermore, several renowned healthcare agencies and NGOs have called out the need to accelerate efforts and sign the Health Sector Climate Pledge in 2022.

The evolution of healthcare has mirrored the Industrial Revolutions’, and we are currently experiencing the height of healthcare 4.0 while preparing our transition to healthcare 5.0. Several emerging, frontier technologies are dominating the current industry landscape and can be instrumental in accelerating the pathway to a net-zero healthcare ecosystem. Some of these include blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, high-speed networks like 5G and 6G, satellite-supported internet, cloud and edge computing, big data and virtual health, powered by a vast array of smart devices, sensors and wearables. We are also witnessing the transition to the next generation of the World Wide Web (Web3), as well as increased development of advanced genomics-powered precision health solutions, 3D printed bio-implants and the early deployment of brain-computer interfaces.

Smart Health Cities

The goal of a smart city is to improve the quality of life, work and education for its citizens and businesses by enhancing and/or adding city services that can optimize their efficiency and viability. They will require a state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure that leverage frontier technologies to offer a redesigned, personalized, human-centric and precision health ecosystem. Smart health cities will focus on wellness, prevention and longevity and will deviate from acute care to managing chronic diseases.

Net-zero healthcare is aiming to fight the climate crisis while improving population and public health. Currently, there is a focus on several high-impact domains that must be further expanded, such as materials science and energy consumption for healthcare facilities, healthcare-related transportation, healthy food, clean water and an ESG-conscious medical supply chain that includes eco-packaging and ESG-friendly medical waste management.

Possible Pathways: The Quadrium

We need a holistic approach to building a net-zero healthcare 4.0 ecosystem at a global level. We could conceptualize our approach as a quadrium that includes four pillars: leadership, education, digital transformation and impact investments. Emerging leaders who wish to become successful in building a net-zero health ecosystem must demonstrate a complex portfolio of skill sets. A sustainability-focused healthcare leadership style will require applied digital ethics, cyber-resilience, ESG acumen, a high risk tolerance, versatility in management styles suited for a global workforce and leading with purpose.

Education can bridge the existing digital and financial divides that continue to be significant barriers to advancing and sustaining a net-zero health economy. Web3 represents a new opportunity to disrupt the education landscape and pave the way for the future global workforce. To be successful, global multistakeholder, public-private partnerships must be forged and new financing instruments, as well as new business models, must be developed to meet the needs of the complex digital disruption that must occur to attain the ambitious net-zero goals.

Challenges And Opportunities

Some of the challenges we are facing as a society include a lack of digital trust, cybersecurity threats, high costs, legal and regulatory compliance, and major workforce shortages. Building proactive digital ethics and cyber-resilience programs will be essential. Furthermore, frontier technologies can also be deployed to address some of these challenges. For example, digital twins, the latest generation of blockchain technologies and quantum computing can be powerful tools for auditing net-zero efforts, setting quality standards and tracking ESG targets in the net-zero global healthcare ecosystem.

The complex portfolio of tools (AI, edge and cloud computing, federated learning and zero-trust cybersecurity architecture) can significantly augment current net-zero health efforts. Transitioning to Web3 will certainly pose challenges; however, it can also be a powerful catalyst to expedite the attainment of a net-zero healthcare economy.

Future Directions

According to Health Care Without Harm, “More than 60 governments, making up more than 47% of net global health care emissions, have committed to low-carbon, climate resilient health systems.” I hope that others will join in the near future. Perhaps developing a new net-zero healthcare performance index could contribute to or accelerate this global effort. We can also envision further scientific advances that could build upon Nvidia’s Earth-2 efforts to build a digital health twin for smart cities and communities and to provide the crucial strategic intelligence required to attain the global net-zero healthcare ecosystem.

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