In the latest episode of the ESCH-R Podcast, Nicole Hunfeld speaks with Erik van Raaij from the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. Within ESCH-R, Erik leads Work Package 4: “How do we buy?”, which explores how circular business models and sustainable procurement strategies can contribute to a future-proof healthcare sector.

Circularity requires collaboration across the entire chain

According to Erik, circular hospitals can only become a reality if not only hospitals themselves change, but the entire value chain evolves alongside them. This means collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, hospitals, waste processors, and new actors such as re-processors. “We will never achieve circular hospitals if suppliers are not part of the transition as well,” Erik explains.

From theory to practice: the Pulse Oximeter and TAVI applicator

During the co-creation sessions, WP4 worked with two concrete example products: the Pulse Oximeter and the TAVI applicator. These products were deliberately selected because they represent different product categories. The Pulse Oximeter represents products that are used in large quantities within hospitals, while the TAVI applicator is a highly specialised, invasive, and technically complex product. By working with these “example products,” the team aims to develop insights that can later be applied to broader healthcare product categories.

The changing role of procurement

An important theme in the episode is the evolving role of hospital procurement. According to Erik, the buyer of the future will increasingly become a connector and influencer within a network. Erik: “The procurement professional of the future really needs to be a social animal. You constantly need to influence others, understand what is happening in the market, and translate signals from the supplier chain into opportunities within the hospital. Procurement will increasingly be about activating networks, rather than simply closing contracts.”

As tradition dictates, the episode concludes with a question for the next guests of the ESCH-R Podcast: Bas van Vliet (Wageningen University & Research) and Sophie van der Zee (Erasmus University Rotterdam) from Work Package 3, which focuses on behaviour and sustainable change. Erik asks them a question based on the well-known MOA model (Motivation, Opportunity, Ability): “Which of these three do you believe contains the most important leverage point for truly changing behaviour? Is it motivation, opportunity, or ability?”

Tune in and discover how we can work together towards a circular future for healthcare!

Music copyright: Mr. Gerald