Energy in healthcare, welcomed in

To assure adequate energy and electricity for healthcare worldwide, those assisting first need to be welcomed in. 

To assure energy reduction and efficiency in healthcare, those involved must feel welcomed at the table.

Here are a few ways we can ask for a welcome, as well as welcome others in: 

*Structure international and national authorities to healthcare energy assurance. Assess for gaps at the table, including when partnerships develop for global assessments. [1}

*Structure the assessments of energy in healthcare. How is adequacy measured? How does a community define if they have enough energy and how are the definitions of quality of care mismatched? 

*Assess current response. How are philanthropic and nonprofit partnerships defining, assessing and responding to lack of energy in healthcare [2,3,4,5]? Where are the disconnects and mismatches?

*Assess for understanding of medical equipment and use within evidence-based guidelines. Where are these facilities in adoption of EBP? Who funds the medical equipment? How have biomedical engineers and regulators been incorporated at the quality table in these countries? 

*Assess for ongoing regulation and engineering expertise. Who can maintain energy analytics at the local level in LMIC, and who will take the lead? 

*Understand and have international coordination on off-grid energy systems for healthcare [6]. Who is defining quality with off-grid systems, how are the systems being regulated, and how is long-term energy supply remaining a long-term goal for these countries?

*Create structure to healthcare energy efficiency, reduction and sustainability. What are the metrics and indicators for local, national and global plans? What are the definitions? Who is responsible [7,8]? What are the timeframes, goals and reassessments going to look like? How can healthcare facilities licensing, quality accreditation and building permits be tasked with enforcement? How can national and international goals set accountability for deliverables? 

*Create structure to energy efficiency innovation in healthcare. How will innovation be funded locally and internationally? How can this be easily incorporated into patient safety research?

*Ask for industry leadership. How can biomedical and building/construction be tasked with leadership in healthcare energy reduction and sustainability? How can reimbursement support these efforts?

We must all be at the table to secure success with access to energy and electricity, and clean and efficient energy and electricity in healthcare.

1. https://energyaccess.duke.edu/who-global-assessment/

2. https://www.seforall.org/powering-healthcare

3. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-08/Powering-Healthcare-Africa-Project-SEforALL.pdf

4. https://www.irena.org/offgrid/Healthcare

5. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2020/06/05/you-cant-fight-pandemics-without-power-electric-power/

6. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-0625-6

7. https://www.premiersafetyinstitute.org/safety-topics-az/energy/healthcare-energy-reduction-efficiency/

8. https://www.reutersevents.com/sustainability/moving-renewable-energy-biggest-health-intervention-we-can-make