WP Leaders of ESCH-R gathered to share updates!
27 November, 2024
The workpackage (WP) leaders of the ESCH-R consortium gathered on Wednesday 27 November in the UMC Utrecht to discuss the progress of their ESCH-R research. Updates were provided on the newly started PhD’s and the research they will undertake. Additionally, the meeting highlighted ongoing collaborations with partners outside the healthcare sector. WP1 leader Laura Piscicelli and WP1 PhD Joek van der Zwaan both gave a presentation on their latest developments!
A recap will follow!
ESCH-R PI Nicole Hunfeld delivered a thought-provoking presentation
19 November, 2024
At the Critical Care Canada Forum (CCCF) 2024, held from in Toronto, Canada, Nicole Hunfeld delivered a thought-provoking presentation. On day 1 of the conference, Nicole presented The Green ICU: A European Approach. Her talk outlined the innovative Green ICU methodology, which focuses on making intensive care units more environmentally sustainable and specifically circular. Additionally, she highlighted the ESCH-R project, emphasizing its role in advancing circular healthcare solutions.
Highlights of Podcast Episode 1: Circularity in Intensive Care and Healthcare
12 November, 2024
The healthcare sector needs to become more circular and sustainable. In the Netherlands, it accounts for approximately 8% of the nation’s CO2 emissions—more than the aviation industry! The healthcare sector consumes 13% of our raw materials and generates a staggering 328 million kilograms of waste annually, representing 4% of the country’s total waste production. This must change.
Circularity is a hot topic, but what does it mean in healthcare? It’s a broad term that needs clarification. In this new ESCH-R podcast series, we aim to make circularity tangible and actionable.
In the first episode, Dimitry Vleugel, moderator, and Nicole Hunfeld, Principal Investigator of the ESCH-R Consortium, talk to Professor Diederik Gommers, intensivist and head of the Intensive Care department at Erasmus MC.
The next podcast will be recorded on the 13th of December with Anne Traa and Priscilla Lips from the Wittenburg Group!
ESCH-R Consortium Visits Philips Customer Experience Center
6 November, 2024
On November 6th, our ESCH-R Consortium visited the Customer Experience Center of our consortium partner, Philips. The visit was led by Harald Tepper and Stephanie Resnick from Philips and offered a unique opportunity to explore Philips’ initiatives and efforts to achieve circularity in healthcare. As a consortium partner, Philips is an essential partner in ESCH-R’s mission to drive circularity in healthcare.
Workpackage 3: “How We Act” is ready to start!
30 October, 2024
We’re excited to welcome our two new PhD candidates, Shalvi Thakur and Heidi Annala, each bringing a new perspective to the ESCH-R research on circular practices and behavioural interventions in hospitals.
Collaborating for a Circular Healthcare Future: Medtronic visits ESCH-R
16 October, 2024
On Wednesday 16 October 2024, we had a productive meeting with a small group from Medtronic, discussing the value chain in healthcare and how ESCH-R collaborates with our societal and strategic partners to make an impact.
‘Inclusive Sustainable Healthcare: A Paradox?’ inaugural address by prof. Jan-Carel Diehl
October 11, 2024
Congratulations to our ESCH-R Board Member Jan-Carel Diehl – He is now officially Professor in Design for Inclusive Sustainable System Interventions at the TU Delft!
On 11 October 2024 he held his inaugural address, ‘Inclusive Sustainable Healthcare: A Paradox?’: We all want a healthy life and a healthy planet. Can we create a healthcare system that is both inclusive and sustainable? And what is the role of design in such a transition?
Jan Carel Diehl: “We need healthcare, while at the same time it’s important that we take care of our environment.”
24 October, 2025
Medical Delta professor and Project board member ESCH-R Prof. Dr. Ir. Jan Carel Diehl (TU Delft) gave his inaugural lecture on 11 October 2024. He combines solutions for healthcare with care for our planet. His many projects make an impact from Rotterdam to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Interview with Prof. Dr. Ir. Jan Carel Diehl: Read the interview on the website of Industrial Design at TU Delft (text: Bregt Timmerman).
We are keen to post a bio of everyone involved in this project on the website and in the newsletter as well!
Please share your bio and picture with maaike@esch-r.org.
Paula Goetz
Researcher ESCH-R Project
Work Package 1
Who am I?
Having worked with the public transportation sector in Germany for the last two years, I have gained a lot of interest in the public sector. I am very curious to dive into the ESCH-R-Project. Before that, I studied Industrial Engineering in the US and pursued my master’s degree in engineering and policy analysis at TU Delft.
During that time, I had the opportunity to meet many people with various backgrounds. It showed me how important different approaches are and that a “perfect” solution for problems may not exist.
What do I do?
I’m a PhD candidate for work package 1. The work package focuses on the analysis and evaluation of the underlying system while taking into account the views of the involved stakeholders. Overall, I am very interested in societal challenges and their connections. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new places, being outside, and visiting sports classes. Also, I like to spend time with friends, to try delicious and different foods, and to travel.
What am I up to during ESCH-R?
As a researcher in work package 1, I will focus on the systemic analysis of the whole system, moving along the life cycle of medical consumables. I will use System Dynamics and group model building to create an overview of the system with the input of stakeholders. I am looking forward to working together with hospital staff, regulators, and producers to understand their perspectives and gain their input on the issue. As our world is fortunately not always straight-forward and solutions may not be as simple as they seem, dealing with uncertainty regarding the transformation towards a circular health system will also be a part of my research. In the end, the goal will be to provide recommendations for changes in policies that will help upscale the use of circular interventions in hospitals.
A hoodie for the cold days ahead! Pre-order your hoodie now!
We are collecting orders first to ensure that we produce the hoodies in the most sustainable way, avoiding unnecessary waste. This means we will only produce what is needed. The cost of the hoodie will be covered by you, and we’ll share the exact price once all details are finalized. By pre-ordering, you’re helping us organize production in the most efficient and responsible way possible.
ESCH-R Science Day and PAC meeting
Date: January 31, 2025
Location: UMC Utrecht
PAC Meeting (hybride) on invitation only (just for PAC members): 10.30 – 12.00
Science Day: 12.00 – 17.00 with drinks afterwards!
We’re excited to invite you to our first annual ESCH-R Science Day!
Since the beginning of 2024, we have been collaborating with industry to rethink and redesign medical consumables and packaging, following the 10-Rs circularity framework, to drive hospitals toward a circular future. How far has our research progressed? What educational resources and training programs on circular healthcare are already in place? Which products and services are now more circular?
Join us at Science Day for a comprehensive look at our accomplishments so far.
In the morning at 10:30 (prior to the start of the Science Day, the PAC (Project Advisory Committee) will also have its meeting (on invitation only).
Event highlights
- Engaging updates from WP leaders, alongside PhDs and Postdocs
- Reflective session with a societal partner
- Podcast interview recordings!
Inaugural lecture Prof. dr. ir. Erik van Raaij
Date: June 4, 2025
Time: 4.00 PM
Since January 1 of this year, Erik van Raaij has taken on a new chair, “Sustainable Procurement in Healthcare.” Therefore, he will hold his inaugural speech on June 4, 2025.
The ceremony will start at 16.00 hrs in the Auditorium of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Further details will be shared later.
Using teams for data sharing within the WP’s
Most of you have started using Teams for their communication and data sharing within their WP. Please note, if you have any procurement docs they can be stored in a separate folder in Teams with limited access or save them within you own institute. Please let us know if you require a separate folder or have any other questions about using Teams.
If you have sensitive or confidential data, like for instance procurement documents, you can ask Jilske for limited access to a folder of your WP in Teams:
Jilske Huijben – j.a.huijben@erasmusmc.nl
Would you like to share your ESCH-R news? Whether it’s vacancies, new PhDs, student achievements, research updates, publications, tweets, media appearances, or anything else, we’d love to hear from you!
Deadline for newsletter submissions: 12 December 2024
Next newsletter: 19 December 2024
Share your updates with us via info@esch-r.org, and we’ll include them in our next newsletter!
ESCH-R
Email adress: info@esch-r.org
Email adress: ESCH-R@erasmusmc.nl
Website: www.esch-r.org
