Sustainability in Healthcare: Green Technologies and Practices in Latin America

October 26, 2025

Mariana Romero Roy

Many global markets are embracing the idea of sustainability, and the healthcare market is not immune to this trend. This is the idea of adopting environmentally friendly practices and technologies to make your operations more sustainable over time. In some cases, sustainability can also be cost-effective, which makes it even more appealing to industry leaders.

How Sustainability Impacts Healthcare

For healthcare, the impact of adopting sustainable practices can be broad and far-reaching. It refers not only to efficiencies in delivering care but also to a hospital’s entire operation, including LED lighting, alternative energy sources, and more fuel-efficient vehicles. It’s a broad topic, but one that has been gaining steam globally in recent years. In fact, the American Hospital Association has a Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care that outlines best practices for facilities that want to create and implement sustainability goals.

Sustainability in Latin American Healthcare

Though Latin America often has the perception of lagging behind the practices of the United States and Europe, the reality is that many countries in the region have become centers for innovation in areas like biopharmaceuticals and telemedicine, among others. Sustainability is another area where Latin American hospitals and medical centers are already making great strides, with new medications and technologies promoting sustainability in the region.

When it comes to “green” initiatives, some ways hospitals can become more sustainable are fairly obvious—for example, using LED lighting instead of incandescent lights, or seeking out alternative energy sources like solar power.

However, other healthcare practices are also considered sustainable because they can reduce inefficiencies and improve patients’ lives. For example, the widespread adoption of telemedicine can be viewed as a sustainable practice. It brings quality healthcare to more people in a more accessible manner and reduces or eliminates travel time to and from hospitals. Even prevention initiatives can be considered sustainable. When they are effective, they reduce the number of people who need to be diagnosed and treated.

Other ways that Latin Americans have embraced sustainability in recent years is by focusing on innovation and production at a local level. This is particularly true when you examine the growing biopharmaceuticals market in the region. By easing regulations and promoting local production of vaccines and other medications, Latin America is reducing imports. This is not only more cost-effective, but also more environmentally friendly.

Sustainability Success Stories

One only has to take a look at some of the sustainability stories around the region to see how Latin American healthcare is being impacted by these new developments. For example, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), an offshoot of the World Health Organization, has a Smart Hospitals Toolkit that helps regional hospitals be environmentally sustainable and resilient in the face of natural disasters and other events. In addition, the World Health Organization recently published guidelines for climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare facilities.

Another organization pushing for sustainability in healthcare is Global Green and Healthy Hospitals, which for several years hosted a Latin American Conference in the region to celebrate the contributions of regional hospitals. One member of this organization is the Hospital San Rafael de Pasto in Colombia, which has committed to reducing its environmental impact through programs targeting waste, water, and procurement.

Since 2015, the hospital has made great strides in this area, replacing 90% of their lighting with LEDs and switching electrical equipment to items with a certified level A energy efficiency rating. Solar power is also now used throughout the operation. In addition, the hospital also contributed to the local government’s “one million trees for Pasto” initiative by purchasing one hectare of land and planting over 6,000 native species of trees.

Another success story from the region is the Hospital Clínica Bíblica in Costa Rica. Since beginning its sustainability efforts in 2016, the hospital has implemented a wide range of strategies, including the installation of solar panels, composting kitchen waste, reusing rainwater, promoting the rational use of potable water, and reducing the use of anesthetic gases. For its efforts, the hospital has earned 15 awards, including a Gold GHG Reduction in Energy award, a Silver Renewable Energy award, and a Gold Climate Leadership award, among others.

Balancing Sustainability with Affordability

For regions and facilities that are considering sustainability initiatives, one potential roadblock is perceived costs. The perception still exists that being environmentally friendly is an expensive proposition. However, Siemens Healthineers says that the notion that “sustainability costs too much money” is one of the great myths related to sustainability. In fact, facilities that implement sustainable and environmentally friendly practices end up saving money in the long run.

Research conducted by McKinsey on this topic found that companies investing in sustainable energy sources can reduce their energy consumption by up to 30%. This means that the higher initial investment is often offset fairly quickly with savings on utility bills.

When it comes specifically to medical equipment, many manufacturers offer sustainable programs that lead immediately to cost savings for the facility. For example, system upgrades or refurbishment programs have lower capital costs and are more environmentally friendly than investing in all new equipment.

Key Takeaways for Medical Companies

Sustainability and environmental initiatives are a growing trend not only globally, but specifically in Latin America. As more regions and facilities realize that the initial investments in these products and technologies can lead to long-term cost savings, the trend is likely to grow.

If you’re a medical equipment or device supplier serving the region, you’d be well-suited to assess your own company’s sustainability efforts and how they support the region. Some technological trends, such as telemedicine and digital health records, naturally lend themselves to sustainability efforts by improving the accessibility and efficiency of healthcare, so products that support these efforts in hospitals tend to go hand in hand with sustainability.

For larger medical devices and equipment, consider programs like system upgrades to existing equipment or refurbishment initiatives if your company isn’t already exploring those avenues. These programs are already appealing to hospitals and health systems looking to save costs, and they have the added benefit of being sustainable and environmentally friendly. Now that medical facilities are increasingly embracing sustainability efforts, these programs will likely become even more appealing.

Next Steps

Contact GHI to learn more about sustainability trends and their potential impact on the healthcare industry in Latin America. Our team of researchers can provide the analysis you need to gain valuable insights and support strategic decision-making in your industry.

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Mariana Romero Roy

Mariana Romero Roy is the Senior Director of Business Intelligence for GHI. She designs and manages market intelligence research projects for the world's leading medical equipment/device brands in all key Latin American markets. This worked has honed her expertise in market trends and helping sales teams uncover opportunities in the region.