Patients weigh in: The value of healthcare environmental stewardship to patient experience

Abstract

Introduction

Human health relies on a healthy planet, yet the healthcare sector has a substantial negative impact on the environment, and ranks among the major greenhouse gas–emitting, plastic consuming, and waste generating sectors in the U.S. To better understand patient perspectives on this issue, University of California (UC) San Diego Health surveyed patients about the role of sustainability in healthcare.

Methods

In March 2025, the UC San Diego Health Sustainability and Patient Experience teams conducted a brief patient opinion survey on the topic of environmental sustainability in healthcare. The survey was sent to patients who had previously volunteered to receive occasional surveys from UC San Diego Health.

Results

Over 5,000 respondents (14.5 % response rate) reported overwhelming support for environmentally responsible practices in healthcare. The vast majority of respondents (94 %) viewed environmental health as either very or extremely important to their personal health, and 85 % agreed they would prefer to receive care from an organization committed to sustainability. Patients prioritized practices such as reducing waste and single-use plastics, transitioning to clean energy, and offering healthy, local food.

Conclusion

These findings affirm that patients value alignment between healthcare delivery and environmental responsibility—an insight that offers additional motivation for healthcare systems to adopt and accelerate sustainable practices.