1 00:00:00,278 --> 00:00:02,271 This is Lauren D with the Becker health 2 00:00:02,271 --> 00:00:02,909 care podcast. 3 00:00:03,307 --> 00:00:04,662 I'm thrilled today to be joined by Doctor 4 00:00:04,822 --> 00:00:06,575 Matthew Meyer, associate professor of, 5 00:00:08,264 --> 00:00:11,396 and c chair of the Uv Health sustainability 6 00:00:11,614 --> 00:00:14,007 community committee at Uv Health as well as 7 00:00:14,007 --> 00:00:17,197 c cofounder of Peri Green. Doctor Meyers, is 8 00:00:17,197 --> 00:00:18,804 a pleasure to have on podcast today. 9 00:00:20,075 --> 00:00:21,743 Thank you for having me and. I'm really 10 00:00:21,743 --> 00:00:23,650 thrilled to be here. Now I know we've 11 00:00:23,650 --> 00:00:24,842 got a lot to talk about, and I'm 12 00:00:24,842 --> 00:00:26,764 really looking forward to learning more about some 13 00:00:26,764 --> 00:00:27,504 of the 14 00:00:27,883 --> 00:00:30,680 sustainability initiatives that you're doing at Uv health 15 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:32,518 and how other their health systems can get 16 00:00:32,518 --> 00:00:33,956 involved and do some more things as well. 17 00:00:34,196 --> 00:00:35,530 But before we dive into my quest. 18 00:00:36,210 --> 00:00:37,489 You tell us is just just a little 19 00:00:37,489 --> 00:00:39,009 bit more about yourself and your background? 20 00:00:40,369 --> 00:00:40,609 Shit. 21 00:00:41,250 --> 00:00:42,789 So I am 22 00:00:43,250 --> 00:00:45,899 a full time clinical anesthesia interest at this 23 00:00:45,899 --> 00:00:47,807 point. I also work in the intensive care 24 00:00:47,807 --> 00:00:49,182 unit. So that is 25 00:00:49,715 --> 00:00:50,907 predominantly my day job. 26 00:00:51,941 --> 00:00:54,424 However, under the product that really drives most 27 00:00:54,424 --> 00:00:55,163 of my 28 00:00:55,620 --> 00:00:57,135 my passion at this point is I didn't 29 00:00:57,135 --> 00:00:59,367 do a lot of work this sustainable health 30 00:00:59,367 --> 00:01:02,011 care area, and I consider myself to be 31 00:01:02,011 --> 00:01:04,498 an advocate and a researcher. I've had 32 00:01:05,031 --> 00:01:07,653 really good fortune to ask some editorial that 33 00:01:07,653 --> 00:01:10,297 were published in instead news health affairs forefront 34 00:01:10,297 --> 00:01:11,254 scientific America, 35 00:01:12,452 --> 00:01:12,952 American 36 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:15,725 in this area, which has given me the 37 00:01:15,725 --> 00:01:16,624 opportunity to really 38 00:01:17,002 --> 00:01:17,901 reach out and 39 00:01:18,692 --> 00:01:20,759 that people excited about sustainable health and see 40 00:01:20,759 --> 00:01:21,555 the potential of it. 41 00:01:22,588 --> 00:01:23,702 I am also, 42 00:01:24,338 --> 00:01:26,962 and this isn't... This is actually becoming almost 43 00:01:26,962 --> 00:01:29,547 has much a full time job I'm also, 44 00:01:30,323 --> 00:01:33,194 A founder, Ceo of Peri Cream, which is 45 00:01:33,194 --> 00:01:36,644 a fuck where we're using computer vision to 46 00:01:36,862 --> 00:01:39,744 identify and help. Health systems eliminate unnecessary waste 47 00:01:39,744 --> 00:01:40,620 in the operating room. 48 00:01:43,087 --> 00:01:45,077 Most fascinating to hear and, you know, really 49 00:01:45,077 --> 00:01:47,080 cool to have that abilities of of looking 50 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,544 in and identifying and then being able to 51 00:01:49,544 --> 00:01:52,882 out upon for the unnecessary waste. Now, given 52 00:01:52,882 --> 00:01:54,721 your and enroll. What are some of the 53 00:01:54,721 --> 00:01:56,702 biggest issues that you're following in healthcare right 54 00:01:56,702 --> 00:01:56,860 now? 55 00:01:58,366 --> 00:01:59,500 K. So 56 00:02:00,505 --> 00:02:03,405 she my focus is on sort of 2 57 00:02:03,779 --> 00:02:05,289 sides of sort of the same coin. So 58 00:02:05,369 --> 00:02:07,141 I'm very interested in 59 00:02:07,595 --> 00:02:07,992 in health, 60 00:02:08,644 --> 00:02:10,478 then I'm very interested in sustainable healthcare care. 61 00:02:10,956 --> 00:02:12,630 And I I'm happy to give sort of 62 00:02:12,630 --> 00:02:14,863 the definitions. Because I think sometimes they get 63 00:02:14,863 --> 00:02:16,298 a little them mush together in the healthcare 64 00:02:16,298 --> 00:02:18,310 care system, but it took me a while 65 00:02:18,310 --> 00:02:19,750 of really doing this to realize that they're 66 00:02:19,750 --> 00:02:21,530 really 2 independent issues and really 67 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:22,650 deserve 68 00:02:23,430 --> 00:02:24,069 independent attention. 69 00:02:24,724 --> 00:02:26,956 To what I'm talking about climate health, I'm 70 00:02:26,956 --> 00:02:27,515 talking about, 71 00:02:28,471 --> 00:02:31,501 I'm talking about the impact of climate changing 72 00:02:31,501 --> 00:02:33,255 and really, you before it gets bumped into 73 00:02:33,255 --> 00:02:35,755 it. Like all sort of pollution and waste 74 00:02:36,049 --> 00:02:37,955 is having on human health. 75 00:02:38,669 --> 00:02:39,169 And 76 00:02:39,542 --> 00:02:42,083 just to support this during the pandemic in 77 00:02:42,083 --> 00:02:43,134 2021. 78 00:02:43,773 --> 00:02:45,291 The there was an editorial that I was 79 00:02:45,291 --> 00:02:46,111 called simultaneously 80 00:02:46,730 --> 00:02:47,789 in 200 81 00:02:48,088 --> 00:02:49,846 different journals including New england Journal on the 82 00:02:49,926 --> 00:02:52,837 Bm, which are, you know, very important and, 83 00:02:53,375 --> 00:02:55,211 very important journals in Medicine. 84 00:02:55,849 --> 00:02:57,765 That said, the greatest threat to global public 85 00:02:57,765 --> 00:03:00,160 health continued failure world leaders to keep the 86 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,835 global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees anyway. And 87 00:03:03,835 --> 00:03:04,335 so 88 00:03:05,028 --> 00:03:06,482 that concept is that 89 00:03:07,017 --> 00:03:07,828 we've you, 90 00:03:08,546 --> 00:03:10,881 collectively as humans contributed to, 91 00:03:11,657 --> 00:03:12,853 we've changed our environment. 92 00:03:13,651 --> 00:03:15,485 That we're changing our environment ways that we 93 00:03:15,485 --> 00:03:17,893 can't necessarily predict and that our be coming 94 00:03:17,893 --> 00:03:19,490 back to Harm us in the way of 95 00:03:19,490 --> 00:03:19,729 health. 96 00:03:20,528 --> 00:03:21,028 And 97 00:03:21,885 --> 00:03:23,960 the thing about that statement was it was 98 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,729 saying keep it below 1.5 degrees centigrade. We're 99 00:03:26,849 --> 00:03:29,555 and arguably in the last 12 months, 100 00:03:30,112 --> 00:03:32,898 we're above 1.5 degrees centigrade grade, If you 101 00:03:32,898 --> 00:03:34,982 aggregate the weather in the temperature. From throughout 102 00:03:34,982 --> 00:03:37,608 the world. So we may have already crust 103 00:03:37,608 --> 00:03:40,734 that, and we haven't really organized 104 00:03:41,110 --> 00:03:42,542 ourselves in a way that's going to, you 105 00:03:42,542 --> 00:03:43,758 know, bring us back 106 00:03:44,229 --> 00:03:46,629 And as a consequence of all this, there 107 00:03:46,629 --> 00:03:48,550 going to be implications on Human Health and 108 00:03:48,550 --> 00:03:51,030 quite honestly, there already are implications on Human 109 00:03:51,110 --> 00:03:51,349 L. 110 00:03:52,084 --> 00:03:54,100 And based implications and 111 00:03:55,436 --> 00:03:57,432 they're broad. They go from some of the 112 00:03:57,432 --> 00:03:59,587 more obvious ones, which is like a longer 113 00:03:59,587 --> 00:04:00,087 allergies. 114 00:04:01,117 --> 00:04:01,617 Season 115 00:04:02,151 --> 00:04:05,412 to other respiratory concerns. We all have many 116 00:04:05,412 --> 00:04:07,639 of us had exposure to the wildfires in 117 00:04:07,799 --> 00:04:08,299 Canada 118 00:04:08,673 --> 00:04:11,863 that brought the air quality index really high, 119 00:04:12,022 --> 00:04:13,608 you know, far away from. I mean I'm 120 00:04:13,608 --> 00:04:15,512 in Virginia, we had days where we were 121 00:04:15,512 --> 00:04:17,852 we should really exert sides outside and camps 122 00:04:18,305 --> 00:04:21,797 camps with canceled that summer. So the the 123 00:04:21,797 --> 00:04:23,861 more obvious ones to less obvious ones which 124 00:04:23,861 --> 00:04:25,075 are that 125 00:04:26,574 --> 00:04:28,320 when there's large scale weather events, 126 00:04:29,113 --> 00:04:31,891 patients can't get their cancer treatments have health 127 00:04:31,891 --> 00:04:32,208 systems. 128 00:04:32,858 --> 00:04:35,878 And everywhere in between... There's essentially no organ 129 00:04:35,878 --> 00:04:38,023 system and that includes mental health that's not 130 00:04:38,023 --> 00:04:38,841 being affected 131 00:04:39,215 --> 00:04:39,715 by 132 00:04:40,343 --> 00:04:41,240 solution and 133 00:04:41,614 --> 00:04:44,158 the impact of us on our environment. So 134 00:04:44,158 --> 00:04:45,032 that's climate health. 135 00:04:45,986 --> 00:04:47,337 That's 1 only thing that I'm really paying 136 00:04:47,337 --> 00:04:49,300 attention to because I think that there are 137 00:04:49,419 --> 00:04:51,089 some institutions out there. There are some health 138 00:04:51,089 --> 00:04:52,998 systems that are really starting to pay attention 139 00:04:52,998 --> 00:04:54,828 to it. And in my opinion, that's a 140 00:04:54,828 --> 00:04:55,885 marker of 141 00:04:56,434 --> 00:04:59,146 basically quality. It shows that this institution is 142 00:04:59,146 --> 00:05:02,017 looking to the future. And you're able, they've 143 00:05:02,017 --> 00:05:03,932 manage they manage today's problems long enough that 144 00:05:03,932 --> 00:05:05,208 they're able to look into the future and 145 00:05:05,208 --> 00:05:07,157 try to figure out how to get themselves 146 00:05:07,214 --> 00:05:09,601 to be the right provider community health for 147 00:05:09,601 --> 00:05:11,351 the future. Which I think is just yeah. 148 00:05:11,828 --> 00:05:13,203 That's that's top 149 00:05:13,673 --> 00:05:16,141 top level strategy it from executive perspective. 150 00:05:16,858 --> 00:05:18,769 And the second bid is sustainable healthcare, which 151 00:05:18,769 --> 00:05:21,397 is honestly where the company that I started 152 00:05:21,397 --> 00:05:23,642 and where I tend to find myself a 153 00:05:23,642 --> 00:05:25,951 little more at hold. And this is really 154 00:05:25,951 --> 00:05:26,508 what I love. 155 00:05:27,941 --> 00:05:30,012 Sustainable health care is, how do we take 156 00:05:30,012 --> 00:05:31,625 the health system that we have the U. 157 00:05:31,785 --> 00:05:33,625 S. Keeping you in mind that that 17 158 00:05:33,625 --> 00:05:35,485 percent 18 percent of U. S Gdp 159 00:05:35,785 --> 00:05:37,225 or about 4 percent to 5 percent of 160 00:05:37,225 --> 00:05:38,044 global Gdp 161 00:05:38,425 --> 00:05:40,377 is the healthcare So this is a huge 162 00:05:41,711 --> 00:05:43,704 amount of resources when you think about the 163 00:05:43,704 --> 00:05:45,697 whole world that large. And how do we 164 00:05:45,697 --> 00:05:47,633 take that and I we used them better 165 00:05:47,691 --> 00:05:50,562 noise efficiently? How do we eliminate waste? How 166 00:05:50,562 --> 00:05:52,807 do we make our health system not 167 00:05:53,179 --> 00:05:55,662 contribute to pollution or climate changing mission 168 00:05:56,129 --> 00:05:57,730 and I find that to be fascinating anything, 169 00:05:57,889 --> 00:05:59,330 and that's that's where a lot of my 170 00:05:59,330 --> 00:06:01,350 thought goes today. So I'm 171 00:06:01,889 --> 00:06:03,490 very excited about both those concepts. 172 00:06:06,775 --> 00:06:10,062 Less fascinating here and certainly, you know, really 173 00:06:10,358 --> 00:06:12,986 interesting to go down that road and understand 174 00:06:12,986 --> 00:06:15,629 how different climate change issues are affecting not 175 00:06:15,629 --> 00:06:18,655 only people's health, but their ability to access 176 00:06:18,655 --> 00:06:20,884 health care and what that means for us 177 00:06:20,884 --> 00:06:21,521 in the future. 178 00:06:22,173 --> 00:06:24,397 Now when you look ahead, you know, what 179 00:06:24,397 --> 00:06:25,986 are you excited about and what makes you 180 00:06:25,986 --> 00:06:26,304 nervous? 181 00:06:28,846 --> 00:06:29,982 I mean, so 182 00:06:30,435 --> 00:06:32,035 no I'm gonna I'm gonna bring it back 183 00:06:32,035 --> 00:06:34,358 to those topics. So I am very excited 184 00:06:34,967 --> 00:06:35,467 about 185 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,870 the sustainable health care movement. I... Think I 186 00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:41,578 think since I sort of got myself involved 187 00:06:41,578 --> 00:06:43,489 in it the past 5 or 10 years. 188 00:06:43,887 --> 00:06:45,480 I've seen it go from, you know, like, 189 00:06:45,639 --> 00:06:47,565 a bunch of people are really trying and 190 00:06:47,565 --> 00:06:48,543 saying and 191 00:06:48,998 --> 00:06:51,069 organizing to the best their ability, what I 192 00:06:51,069 --> 00:06:52,683 would consider to be a relatively 193 00:06:53,059 --> 00:06:53,457 strong, 194 00:06:54,413 --> 00:06:55,804 you know, wealth organized 195 00:06:56,421 --> 00:06:57,400 and growing 196 00:06:58,495 --> 00:07:01,048 mission. Until I'll play a couple things. So 197 00:07:01,048 --> 00:07:03,453 the first we can't talk about this in 198 00:07:03,453 --> 00:07:05,761 this world without mentioning 2 organizations, which is 199 00:07:05,761 --> 00:07:08,786 healthcare without harm and practice health. Those are 200 00:07:08,786 --> 00:07:10,957 related organizations and they've really 201 00:07:11,332 --> 00:07:11,832 didn't 202 00:07:12,544 --> 00:07:14,482 they've been ringing the bell for a while 203 00:07:14,622 --> 00:07:16,779 saying that there's problems in our environment that 204 00:07:16,779 --> 00:07:19,097 our Human health? And then how can we 205 00:07:19,097 --> 00:07:21,255 take health systems whose mission is that take 206 00:07:21,255 --> 00:07:24,474 care of community health and ensure that 207 00:07:24,928 --> 00:07:26,836 the systems the way in which healthcare care 208 00:07:26,836 --> 00:07:27,654 is delivered 209 00:07:28,267 --> 00:07:28,767 doesn't 210 00:07:29,713 --> 00:07:30,213 worsening 211 00:07:30,746 --> 00:07:32,813 the problems that cause humans to be sick 212 00:07:32,813 --> 00:07:35,061 and pollution pollution remission etcetera. So 213 00:07:36,628 --> 00:07:38,670 that organization practice free health 214 00:07:39,266 --> 00:07:41,730 represents or has members of 14 100 hospitals 215 00:07:41,730 --> 00:07:43,160 and health systems in the U. S and 216 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:44,670 Canada. So I think that in and of 217 00:07:44,670 --> 00:07:45,170 itself 218 00:07:46,022 --> 00:07:47,158 demonstrates genuine 219 00:07:48,583 --> 00:07:49,402 buy in 220 00:07:49,939 --> 00:07:50,976 with organizations. 221 00:07:51,774 --> 00:07:54,168 There was also a petition that was signed 222 00:07:54,168 --> 00:07:55,147 by about a thousand 223 00:07:55,699 --> 00:07:57,921 possible. I think representing about 1000 hospitals by 224 00:07:57,921 --> 00:07:59,453 the department of health and human services 225 00:07:59,984 --> 00:08:00,881 that was 226 00:08:01,492 --> 00:08:04,151 to really engage with cc car hospital organization 227 00:08:04,287 --> 00:08:05,798 of the healthcare care system, 228 00:08:06,354 --> 00:08:08,421 and that was signed. Nationally it was a 229 00:08:08,421 --> 00:08:11,456 white house event. We're seeing the national adding 230 00:08:11,456 --> 00:08:11,956 medicine 231 00:08:12,330 --> 00:08:14,077 really focus in on how do we d 232 00:08:14,077 --> 00:08:16,776 card medicine. And then just recently, 233 00:08:17,253 --> 00:08:19,635 we've had this... The joint commission has created 234 00:08:19,635 --> 00:08:22,516 a sustainable health their certification. And this I 235 00:08:22,516 --> 00:08:24,609 think is really cool. This is 236 00:08:24,985 --> 00:08:25,485 the 237 00:08:26,181 --> 00:08:27,557 essentially the certification 238 00:08:28,013 --> 00:08:29,708 structures it so that you 239 00:08:30,179 --> 00:08:32,962 test yourself and organize your health system with 240 00:08:32,962 --> 00:08:36,960 the building blocks to really drive sustainability 241 00:08:37,414 --> 00:08:39,890 inside. It will accept leadership, it looks at 242 00:08:39,890 --> 00:08:42,270 data collection and it looks at action. But 243 00:08:42,270 --> 00:08:44,491 really I'm really impressed with the fact that 244 00:08:44,491 --> 00:08:44,991 we're 245 00:08:45,697 --> 00:08:48,082 that the joint commission has gotten into this 246 00:08:48,082 --> 00:08:48,876 field. And, 247 00:08:49,274 --> 00:08:51,261 I'm hoping that their involvement will only increase 248 00:08:51,261 --> 00:08:53,583 from there. They've got great leadership. Think there's 249 00:08:53,583 --> 00:08:55,599 a lot of potential for them 250 00:08:56,136 --> 00:08:56,875 to really 251 00:08:57,811 --> 00:09:00,464 help helps us become more efficient through sustainability 252 00:09:00,602 --> 00:09:01,740 and helps 253 00:09:02,277 --> 00:09:05,169 provide better value patient care through sustainability. 254 00:09:05,649 --> 00:09:07,809 And I I remiss I don't mention that 255 00:09:07,809 --> 00:09:09,889 someone I was hoping that you get health 256 00:09:09,889 --> 00:09:12,846 with death but someone has gotten to get 257 00:09:12,846 --> 00:09:14,673 the first certificate and it was hack secondary 258 00:09:14,673 --> 00:09:17,770 meridian and health. So just real recognition to 259 00:09:17,770 --> 00:09:20,324 them for b being, becoming real leaders in 260 00:09:20,324 --> 00:09:22,149 this field of sustainable healthcare care. And they 261 00:09:22,149 --> 00:09:24,052 were the first ones to achieve joint commission 262 00:09:24,052 --> 00:09:26,194 sustainable healthcare care certification for other their hospitals, 263 00:09:28,121 --> 00:09:29,716 Well, that's amazing to hear and definitely, 264 00:09:30,514 --> 00:09:32,508 what a great goal to work towards. And 265 00:09:32,508 --> 00:09:33,865 for you at Uv Health, 266 00:09:34,597 --> 00:09:36,990 how does that sustainability show up? And especially, 267 00:09:37,229 --> 00:09:39,383 I know quote the community committee, 268 00:09:40,021 --> 00:09:42,094 you know, it is 1 way that you 269 00:09:42,094 --> 00:09:43,664 could contribute in a big way, but 270 00:09:44,344 --> 00:09:45,941 what types of things are you doing or 271 00:09:45,941 --> 00:09:47,859 changes have you been able to make since 272 00:09:47,859 --> 00:09:49,696 getting involved with these types of initiatives? 273 00:09:51,068 --> 00:09:52,125 Sure. So 274 00:09:53,534 --> 00:09:55,524 as everyone listening to this healthcare has been 275 00:09:55,524 --> 00:09:56,876 for a lot the last couple of years. 276 00:09:57,036 --> 00:09:59,124 But my real hope is we're coming out 277 00:09:59,124 --> 00:10:02,181 stronger lessons learned from Covid and we're going 278 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:02,959 we're ready to, 279 00:10:03,998 --> 00:10:05,996 walk and chew bubble them and like really 280 00:10:05,996 --> 00:10:07,409 move forward on this. So 281 00:10:08,248 --> 00:10:09,707 what we're doing. So, 282 00:10:10,405 --> 00:10:13,521 you tax sustainable sustainable health and all fronts. 283 00:10:14,574 --> 00:10:17,115 First is largely organization, You know, finding the 284 00:10:17,115 --> 00:10:19,259 people that are interested in. And I will 285 00:10:19,259 --> 00:10:21,482 tell you that the minute you start talking 286 00:10:21,482 --> 00:10:22,991 about this as you might gather, I talk 287 00:10:22,991 --> 00:10:25,713 about this a fair bit to to many 288 00:10:25,713 --> 00:10:27,944 get to hold listen. And and I find 289 00:10:27,944 --> 00:10:30,198 that the many you start talking about waste 290 00:10:30,335 --> 00:10:32,341 reduction efficiency getting it little solution. 291 00:10:33,215 --> 00:10:35,279 You have hands raised all over the place. 292 00:10:35,518 --> 00:10:37,288 This is stuff that is very 293 00:10:38,217 --> 00:10:41,252 connected to people and a mission driven world 294 00:10:41,252 --> 00:10:41,888 like health. 295 00:10:42,365 --> 00:10:44,671 So first of all, it's finding the people 296 00:10:44,671 --> 00:10:46,977 that are interested this and building your network 297 00:10:46,977 --> 00:10:47,773 building your lives, 298 00:10:48,901 --> 00:10:50,889 my next goal has been to do when 299 00:10:50,968 --> 00:10:53,592 I can to empower those people to motivate 300 00:10:53,592 --> 00:10:55,261 them To allow them to see that that 301 00:10:55,261 --> 00:10:57,726 their wishes are their desires, their goals their 302 00:10:57,726 --> 00:11:01,399 project mix to reduce plastic waste to recycle 303 00:11:01,399 --> 00:11:01,899 more 304 00:11:02,592 --> 00:11:03,569 coffers to 305 00:11:03,944 --> 00:11:06,409 whatever it is the not bone. And here's 306 00:11:06,409 --> 00:11:08,413 the network that we've developed to help you 307 00:11:08,413 --> 00:11:11,442 accelerate each projects. So we organize, we, you 308 00:11:11,442 --> 00:11:13,036 know, find those people and then we help 309 00:11:13,036 --> 00:11:14,152 them accelerate the projects. 310 00:11:14,790 --> 00:11:16,800 We have directly done something things. You know, 311 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,840 my department was fairly early I'm not the 312 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,200 early. But we got rid of pretty much 313 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,540 all of our does flooring. That's the volatile 314 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:27,214 aesthetics, bad has a real outs outside impact 315 00:11:27,214 --> 00:11:29,214 as a create greenhouse gas. It also happens 316 00:11:29,214 --> 00:11:30,654 being more costly, so it's 1 of those 317 00:11:30,654 --> 00:11:34,029 beautiful moments, which you find time time again, 318 00:11:34,508 --> 00:11:37,165 where sustainability alliance with cost effectiveness. 319 00:11:37,624 --> 00:11:39,621 So we got rid of that foreign. We're, 320 00:11:40,180 --> 00:11:42,578 teaching a and talking about reducing the flows 321 00:11:42,578 --> 00:11:45,753 of the operations in anesthesiologist. So that's that 322 00:11:45,753 --> 00:11:47,181 that's where I have real domain. 323 00:11:47,975 --> 00:11:50,463 And we are also working across the healthcare 324 00:11:50,463 --> 00:11:53,096 care system. You, we're working we're working on 325 00:11:53,096 --> 00:11:57,574 talking about energy efficiency. There's actually great resources 326 00:11:57,574 --> 00:11:59,722 out there crew tremendous resources. And when I'm 327 00:11:59,722 --> 00:12:01,312 about resources, I'm not just talking about, like, 328 00:12:01,551 --> 00:12:04,030 you know, a Pamphlet here Pdf there. I'm 329 00:12:04,030 --> 00:12:05,960 talking about, know, millions of dollars 330 00:12:06,413 --> 00:12:06,913 for 331 00:12:07,287 --> 00:12:08,582 energy efficiency projects 332 00:12:09,353 --> 00:12:09,853 and, 333 00:12:11,021 --> 00:12:14,467 my Grow grids to build into your healthcare 334 00:12:14,467 --> 00:12:17,340 system that's being funded through the inflation reduction 335 00:12:17,420 --> 00:12:18,718 Act. And 336 00:12:19,176 --> 00:12:19,629 the 337 00:12:20,225 --> 00:12:22,209 health and human services through the office for 338 00:12:22,209 --> 00:12:24,035 climate change health equity has actually put out 339 00:12:24,035 --> 00:12:26,654 a cat program on utilizing the Irs. So 340 00:12:26,654 --> 00:12:29,130 it's basically a starter project for you to 341 00:12:29,130 --> 00:12:31,670 figure out how your health system hospital can 342 00:12:31,670 --> 00:12:32,170 access 343 00:12:32,543 --> 00:12:34,607 millions of dollars. I mean, in some looks 344 00:12:34,607 --> 00:12:36,591 like billions or tens of billions of dollars 345 00:12:36,591 --> 00:12:38,595 that are available for these projects. 346 00:12:39,232 --> 00:12:39,732 So 347 00:12:41,542 --> 00:12:43,773 we go every we go everywhere We're working 348 00:12:43,773 --> 00:12:45,765 on it. We're working on making sure recycling 349 00:12:45,765 --> 00:12:47,534 rolled out and not only rolled out the 350 00:12:47,534 --> 00:12:48,731 materials we collect get recycled. 351 00:12:49,370 --> 00:12:50,966 All the ways to trying to figure out 352 00:12:50,966 --> 00:12:53,441 how we can fund our renewable energy projects, 353 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,155 energy storage and and the like to make 354 00:12:56,155 --> 00:12:58,484 our help systems more resilient, you know, in 355 00:12:58,484 --> 00:12:59,522 the face of the changing world. 356 00:13:01,277 --> 00:13:02,873 I love that. That is so helpful to 357 00:13:02,873 --> 00:13:04,884 know and understand just some of the... Little 358 00:13:04,884 --> 00:13:06,003 things that you can do that to make 359 00:13:06,003 --> 00:13:08,320 a big difference. Now before we wrap up 360 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,398 here, I'm wondering, could you talk about what 361 00:13:10,638 --> 00:13:12,556 the most effective health leaders will need in 362 00:13:12,556 --> 00:13:14,248 order to be successful in the next 2 363 00:13:14,248 --> 00:13:15,123 to 3 years or so. 364 00:13:16,714 --> 00:13:17,930 Sure. So 365 00:13:18,305 --> 00:13:20,555 what I want is I want people to 366 00:13:20,771 --> 00:13:22,937 craft on to this concept of Sustainable healthcare 367 00:13:22,937 --> 00:13:24,929 care. And I want people to make it 368 00:13:24,929 --> 00:13:27,160 theirs. Like, I I'm am, you know, I 369 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,643 I'm an advocate for this. And we've talked 370 00:13:29,643 --> 00:13:31,493 largely about what it means from an environmental 371 00:13:31,708 --> 00:13:34,330 perspective. But sustainable health care is really a 372 00:13:34,330 --> 00:13:37,210 beautiful beautiful concept here. Right? And I want 373 00:13:37,210 --> 00:13:38,964 people to make it theirs make it broadly. 374 00:13:39,203 --> 00:13:40,979 I want us to have a healthcare system 375 00:13:41,355 --> 00:13:44,226 that clinicians wanna work at. I want it 376 00:13:44,226 --> 00:13:46,639 to be place where patients feel good where 377 00:13:46,639 --> 00:13:49,199 we know that this hospital that's been a 378 00:13:49,199 --> 00:13:50,959 part of our community is going to be 379 00:13:50,959 --> 00:13:51,620 here for 380 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,241 the next decade, the next generation of people. 381 00:13:55,273 --> 00:13:56,464 I want us to know that we're using 382 00:13:56,464 --> 00:13:57,361 our resources 383 00:13:58,369 --> 00:14:00,989 intentionally and for maximum impact. There should be 384 00:14:00,989 --> 00:14:02,828 no on that necessary ways. That's a passion 385 00:14:02,828 --> 00:14:04,652 of mine I created a company around, you 386 00:14:04,652 --> 00:14:07,664 know, the identification of this, like, unnecessary ways. 387 00:14:07,902 --> 00:14:09,304 We have so much of it in health 388 00:14:09,821 --> 00:14:10,616 in in healthcare care. 389 00:14:11,412 --> 00:14:12,945 We need to focus on health 390 00:14:13,558 --> 00:14:14,353 instead of medicine. 391 00:14:14,830 --> 00:14:15,149 And, 392 00:14:15,705 --> 00:14:17,947 honestly, like, My livelihood is from you know, 393 00:14:18,026 --> 00:14:18,981 being an anesthesiologist. 394 00:14:19,459 --> 00:14:20,732 But if I put myself out of a 395 00:14:20,732 --> 00:14:22,664 job, if I can get everybody so healthy 396 00:14:22,801 --> 00:14:24,472 so that they don't need my work, like, 397 00:14:25,123 --> 00:14:27,033 what more for a life's mission, but we 398 00:14:27,033 --> 00:14:28,465 need to really think about health. 399 00:14:29,420 --> 00:14:32,204 Want I want this concept of sustainability way 400 00:14:32,204 --> 00:14:33,102 to be elevated. 401 00:14:34,209 --> 00:14:35,642 And when I say El, I mean put 402 00:14:35,642 --> 00:14:37,313 it in the C suite, like, we need 403 00:14:37,313 --> 00:14:39,304 people who are making the decisions to be 404 00:14:39,304 --> 00:14:41,533 having this as part of the conversation at 405 00:14:41,533 --> 00:14:43,384 the table. It doesn't need to be the 406 00:14:43,384 --> 00:14:45,304 only part, but it needs to be a 407 00:14:45,304 --> 00:14:47,324 part and we need to think about how 408 00:14:47,464 --> 00:14:50,125 the concept of sustainability will help address 409 00:14:50,504 --> 00:14:52,600 and will help a lot. Address a number 410 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,440 of the pressing crises that we're all dealing 411 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,200 with. And again, let me... Just give a 412 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,360 shortlist list. We're talking about, you know, staff 413 00:14:58,360 --> 00:14:59,320 shortages in burnout out. 414 00:15:00,294 --> 00:15:02,152 People are inspired to work 415 00:15:02,611 --> 00:15:05,567 when hospitals align with their epics. 416 00:15:06,365 --> 00:15:09,727 Low value cost healthcare against sustainability efficiency moving 417 00:15:09,727 --> 00:15:11,876 waste. Like this is stuff that that brings 418 00:15:11,876 --> 00:15:12,036 up, 419 00:15:12,991 --> 00:15:13,969 improves our productivity, 420 00:15:15,220 --> 00:15:17,614 the it gets to managing social determines of 421 00:15:17,614 --> 00:15:21,102 health. There's the the impact of the environment 422 00:15:21,102 --> 00:15:22,553 on people's health. On 423 00:15:23,340 --> 00:15:23,840 barely 424 00:15:24,620 --> 00:15:26,700 impacts those people who have the few resources. 425 00:15:26,940 --> 00:15:28,379 And that's something that we see time and 426 00:15:28,379 --> 00:15:30,460 time again whether it's in our country and 427 00:15:30,460 --> 00:15:32,712 other countries and locally and you know, in 428 00:15:32,712 --> 00:15:33,430 other places like, 429 00:15:34,546 --> 00:15:36,301 we need we need to, you know, think 430 00:15:36,301 --> 00:15:39,013 about how the people who are being impacted 431 00:15:39,013 --> 00:15:40,768 the most, you know, how we can help 432 00:15:40,768 --> 00:15:41,326 them out. 433 00:15:41,979 --> 00:15:43,170 And then we also get the plans for 434 00:15:43,170 --> 00:15:44,067 the future 435 00:15:44,679 --> 00:15:45,179 and 436 00:15:45,711 --> 00:15:48,594 really think about community health problems that are 437 00:15:48,650 --> 00:15:49,865 forthcoming. And 438 00:15:50,333 --> 00:15:52,182 planning around them, we can hope to am 439 00:15:52,317 --> 00:15:54,301 that into something degree. And so I'm talking 440 00:15:54,301 --> 00:15:55,729 about bringing this into the C suite. And 441 00:15:55,729 --> 00:15:57,816 there's a couple of health systems out there 442 00:15:57,872 --> 00:16:00,035 that have have some sort of a Chief 443 00:16:00,035 --> 00:16:02,426 sustainability officer, and I'll tell you that these 444 00:16:02,426 --> 00:16:04,816 people are doing amazing things under that. But 445 00:16:04,816 --> 00:16:06,625 they haven't been they have been granted that's 446 00:16:06,744 --> 00:16:09,157 soul title. We have, it's usually a blended 447 00:16:09,215 --> 00:16:12,723 title of sustainability plus some other aspect. 448 00:16:13,759 --> 00:16:17,035 When sustainability is the so focus the the 449 00:16:17,035 --> 00:16:18,702 leader in the institution tends to be more 450 00:16:18,702 --> 00:16:20,528 at the Vp level. And I will tell 451 00:16:20,528 --> 00:16:22,116 you that I I know so of the 452 00:16:22,116 --> 00:16:23,307 people that are sitting in the Vp level 453 00:16:23,307 --> 00:16:24,101 at in of is hospitals. 454 00:16:24,593 --> 00:16:25,093 And 455 00:16:27,140 --> 00:16:28,891 the health system that they can elevate them 456 00:16:28,891 --> 00:16:31,199 into the Cc will will be wow by 457 00:16:31,199 --> 00:16:33,847 their ability to just, you know, like the 458 00:16:33,847 --> 00:16:35,925 world, that's probably of about how good the 459 00:16:35,925 --> 00:16:37,523 world fire was definitely the wrong analogy for 460 00:16:37,523 --> 00:16:39,841 my conversation right now. But just to really, 461 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:40,160 like, 462 00:16:40,975 --> 00:16:41,475 just 463 00:16:42,095 --> 00:16:43,695 they're just going to do so well. They're 464 00:16:43,695 --> 00:16:44,014 primed. 465 00:16:44,654 --> 00:16:46,815 Largely these people are already doing that role. 466 00:16:47,295 --> 00:16:48,195 They've just been 467 00:16:48,735 --> 00:16:51,304 in off. That are are sort of independent, 468 00:16:51,464 --> 00:16:53,618 not terribly well resources and yet these people 469 00:16:53,618 --> 00:16:55,932 are succeeding. And so what I encourage people 470 00:16:55,932 --> 00:16:58,103 to do is, you know, think about what 471 00:16:58,103 --> 00:17:00,579 sustainability means to you for your healthcare system. 472 00:17:00,899 --> 00:17:02,417 Make sure that you improve the impact on 473 00:17:02,417 --> 00:17:03,935 the world because that's a large part of 474 00:17:03,935 --> 00:17:06,909 it. Do not get healthy people from unhealthy 475 00:17:06,909 --> 00:17:07,230 environments. 476 00:17:07,710 --> 00:17:09,889 But think about what a achieves sustainability officer 477 00:17:10,029 --> 00:17:10,529 is 478 00:17:10,990 --> 00:17:13,241 find that person in your organization fix that 479 00:17:13,241 --> 00:17:15,149 and put them into a position power motivate 480 00:17:15,149 --> 00:17:17,375 them and to see what happens. I expect 481 00:17:17,375 --> 00:17:17,851 great things, 482 00:17:18,885 --> 00:17:21,367 and that's that's that I think is gonna 483 00:17:21,367 --> 00:17:23,044 happen the next couple of years or at 484 00:17:23,044 --> 00:17:25,039 least what I'm really looking for to see 485 00:17:25,039 --> 00:17:25,278 happen. 486 00:17:26,955 --> 00:17:28,950 That's amazing to hear and and definitely 487 00:17:29,364 --> 00:17:31,913 I so appreciate that focus and drive and 488 00:17:31,913 --> 00:17:33,904 energy around the sustainability of bringing that into 489 00:17:33,904 --> 00:17:34,781 the C suite to. 490 00:17:35,577 --> 00:17:37,826 Is so important. For the future. Doctor Meyer, 491 00:17:37,986 --> 00:17:39,103 thank you so much for joining us on 492 00:17:39,103 --> 00:17:40,858 the podcast today. This has been such a 493 00:17:40,858 --> 00:17:42,934 fascinating discussion, and I look forward to connecting 494 00:17:42,934 --> 00:17:43,811 with you again soon. 495 00:17:44,610 --> 00:17:46,221 For Well, thank you so much for having 496 00:17:46,221 --> 00:17:48,297 me. I really appreciate your audience for listening. 497 00:17:48,456 --> 00:17:51,809 And I'm at Uv health available if anyone 498 00:17:51,809 --> 00:17:53,406 has any questions or we'll reach out to 499 00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:56,045 talk. Always happy to help more. Thank you.