At the end of June, a working visit to Beijing on sustainable care was organised by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The focus was on IC and OR. Esch-R coordinator dr. Nicole Hunfeld went along to explain her green IC project at Erasmus MC and the NVIC’s green IC committee. Niek Sperna Weiland (anaesthesiologist Amsterdam UMC and member of The green OR) joined from the green OR. This led to good discussions on what can be done in common and where to cooperate. 

Three hospitals were visited in Beijing. In one of the hospitals (Beijing Union Medical College Hospital), they were allowed to visit the ICU. 

The idea beforehand was that China has high CO2 emissions and uses a lot of plastic in healthcare. Finally, we buy a lot of Chinese products from the Netherlands. What turned out? Nothing was further from the truth: the ICU there uses washable coats and hats. Single-use products such as pressure bags and tourniquets are found to be too expensive and their mats are also washable. Gloves are also used significantly less. The ICU itself: modern, with ventilation and dialysis equipment similar to that used in the Netherlands. In other words: they wash and reuse where possible. And are clear about the use of single-use products: they often find them too expensive.

One downside: since covid, family is no longer welcome. Whether this is sustainable for patients and their families is debatable…