We are proud to announce the Sustainable Initiatives to Guide Healthcare Transformation (SIGHT): Recommendations on Sustainable Healthcare in New Jersey.

SIGHT recognizes the intersection of climate and health and is a call on the state and our health systems to make environmental sustainability in healthcare a priority. The report identifies key categories for health systems to consider when making day-to-day decisions.

“As a physician it is not only important to recognize the impact of climate change on the health of our patients and communities in our daily practice, but also actively support measures to incorporate environmental sustainability into our own practices and at the health systems we work in every day. New Jersey is incredibly fortunate to have the talent and leadership of sustainability professionals who collaborated on the SIGHT Task Force. It is our hope that this report can be incorporated into state environmental policy, as well as used as a guide for our state’s health systems,” said Lisa Cerceo, MD, FACP, FHM, Chair of Health and Public Policy, ACP-NJ.

Healthcare systems leave a huge environmental footprint, contributing almost 10% of the country’s greenhouse gases. They also produce more than 4.67 million tons of waste every year and use 7% of the country's commercial water supply.

Physicians, in delivering care to our patients, can then be simultaneously contributing to the climate change impacting public health.

ACP is committed to incorporating sustainability into healthcare. One way to do it is by mobilizing the resources in the places we work, in the hospitals, surgical centers, and outpatient offices. Cost savings often accompany these initiatives too.

We are interested in continuing to engage individuals across the state to share ideas and collaborate with the common goal of improving healthcare sustainability and mitigating climate change. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Health and Public Policy Committee, please contact Committee Chair Lisa Cerceo, MD.