It doesn’t have to be this way: The SustainED Program is rethinking how we deliver care putting patients first, cutting waste, supporting staff, and creating a future-proof health system.The Shift starts now.
Our hospitals work hard to care for patients. But behind the scenes, staff are exhausted, systems are overloaded, and resources are wasted.
Up to 30% of healthcare brings little or no benefit, and 10% may even cause harm.
SustainED
A Smarter Way Forward in Emergency Care.
A Smarter Way Forward in Emergency Care
What is SustainED
A Practical, Flexible Framework.
Built on local leadership and supported by networks, data, and funding, the SustainED Program helps emergency departments deliver high-quality care while reducing inefficiencies and emissions.
What is
SustainED.
The SustainED Program embeds sustainable clinical care directly into everyday emergency department practice.
It's a clinician-led, system-supported model that drives excellence, cuts waste, and builds a future-ready health system.
It began as a grassroots initiative and is now scaling globally through collaboration, pilot programs, and powerful local leadership.
The ripple started in 2022. The wave is here in 2025.
Why it
Matters.
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Up to 30% of care offers no meaningful benefit and 10% may cause harm.
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Overloaded systems drain staff and budgets.
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Climate impacts are rising and healthcare contributes to the problem.
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Emergency care is both at risk and part of the solution.
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SustainED is about smarter care: better for patients, better for staff, and better for the planet.
How SustainED Works.
1. Small Projects - Big Impact
Start with one realistic improvement project. Mobilise a small team. Set a SMART goal.
Small changes add up fast - and show what's possible.
2. Clinical-Led, System Supported
Frontline staff identify opportunities, while health executives and sustainability teams provide coordination, resources, and support.
3. Proven Frameworks, Adapted Locally
Using proven programs like Choosing Wisely, and Gloves Off!
Adapt them to local needs through team workshops, data review, and patient engagement.
4. Measure What Matters
Track clinical outcomes, staff engagement, cost savings, and emissions reduction.
Use dashboards and implementation trackers to guide and share progress.
5. Scale Up, Sustain, Share
Successful pilots are embedded into everyday care, scaled across EDs, and shared across the global network. Recognition, research, and storytelling help fuel the ripple effect.
The SustainED Framework
A Practical System for Real World Change.
The SustainED Framework is built for busy emergency departments. It gives teams a clear, scalable roadmap to embed sustainable care - without reinventing the wheel.
1. Pillars
Focus Areas for Sustainable Emergency Care.
The framework is anchored around key themes: leadership, culture, waste, data, equity, and climate resilience, providing structure and clarity for action.
2. Projects
High-Impact Interventions That Drive Change.
From Gloves Off to Choosing Wisely, SustainED empowers ED teams with targeted initiatives that deliver measurable results for patients, staff, and systems.
3. Phases
Simple Steps to Grow Local Impact.
Start small. Build momentum. Sustain the change. SustainED guides teams through phased implementation: pilot, expand, embed.
4. Percentages
A Clear Path to Progress.
Track your journey with a practical scoring system. See what’s working, where to improve, and how your team compares all at a glance.
5. Prizes
Celebrate Wins with Five-Star Recognition.
Recognition matters. SustainED features star ratings, leaderboards, and team incentives that reward success and fuel momentum.
6. Payback
Reinvest Local Savings into Local Success.
Reduce waste, reclaim time, and reinvest savings. SustainED ensures that improvements benefit frontline teams and the communities they serve.
7. Publicity & Publication.
Make Change Visible, Credible, and Contagious.
From case studies to academic research, SustainED shares your wins helping proven ideas scale across hospitals, regions, and countries.
Flagship Projects in Action
Join the Movement.
Gloves Off
Global Programme
Every year, over 420 billion gloves are used in healthcare.
Up to 50% are unnecessary. Wasting money, harming the environment, and offering no added protection.
Gloves Off is a bold, measurable gateway project that makes sustainable care visible, practical, and powerful.
Choose Wisely. Test Smarter.
Choosing Wisely
Pathology Program
Every test has a cost. Unnecessary investigations drive up emissions, waste resources, and can lead to patient harm. The Pathology Program helps ED teams rethink routine testing, reduce low-value care, and improve patient outcomes.
It’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable, starting with the tests we order.
SustainED In Action
Real-world results from pilot programs, proving that smarter care is better care.
21%
Fewer Blood Gas Tests
Our pilot ED cut unnecessary testing by 21%, boosting care quality and reducing overuse.
$500K
Hospital Cost Savings
Annual savings from smarter pathology ordering during the Rational Investigations Program.
1.7%
Pathology Use Reduction
While statewide test volumes rose by 6%, our pilot hospital saw a 1.7% drop.
1.5t CO₂e
Emissions Avoided
Rational testing avoided 1.5 tonnes of carbon, one pilot, one hospital, one year.
Contact the Team
Reach out to explore collaboration, partnerships, or implementation support.