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Learn to apply the principles of the circular economy in a hospital or healthcare organization to reduce waste and contribute to sustainable healthcare.
Reducing medical waste is a worldwide challenge that calls for smarter solutions that can make healthcare more sustainable.
This course helps hospital staff, management, users and buyers of medical products and decision-makers make the transition to a circular economy and therefore contribute to reducing waste streams and costs.
This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to create sustainable solutions in hospitals. It includes business cases with visual examples of circular economy strategies presented by experts from the field. These strategies are also a tool to help relieve the supply chain as resources are under increasing pressure.
After taking this course you will master the concept of the circular economy from a hospital perspective. You will learn to apply circular strategies and how to set-up a green team to integrate circular processes in your organization. Finally, you will learn how to make recommendations for reducing waste streams.
This course is part of the program Circular Strategies for Sustainable Healthcare developed by TU Delft’s MedTech experts in close collaboration with industry representatives and renowned institutes. These courses provide not only academic insights but also practical tools and examples which can be implemented in any healthcare organization, and can help you propose and develop your own circular solutions and programs.
Free e-book
In addition to 24/7 online access to video lectures and other course material, you will receive an electronic copy of the brand-new book 'Creating a Circular Healthcare Economy'. This book will further equip you to drive sustainable change and embrace circularity in the healthcare sector.
Accredited Course
This course is accredited by the Dutch Association for Specialists in Sterile Medical Tools (VDSMH) and by the Dutch Association for Hospital Instrumentation Technicians (VZI). Learners who successfully complete the course and obtain a certificate can request Professional Development Points.
Week 1: Basics of the circular healthcare economy, from a hospital perspective
In this week you will learn the basics of the circular healthcare economy, from a hospital perspective. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 2: Applying circular strategies in a hospital environment
In this week you will learn to apply circular approaches. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 3: Setting-up a green team
In this week you will learn how to set-up a green team. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 4: Urban Mining
In this week you will learn to define urban mining and to identify urban mining strategies in the hospital. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 5: How to reduce waste streams
In this week you will learn how to analyze waste streams in the hospital and identify how these can be reduced or eliminated. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 6: Making recommendations to reduce waste in a hospital
In this week you will learn how to formulate a set of recommendations to decrease hospital waste. Topics which we will cover this week are:
Week 7: Summary of the course
In this week we will wrap-up and provide main takeaways as well as additional resources and information. Literature reviews and finding relevant publications were part of this course and we will provide you with more relevant literature on this topic.
Do I need to take an introductory course to be able to follow this course?
No, this is not required, but an interest in the circular economy is essential. This program has been designed so that knowledge is acquired gradually. The courses focus on the medical field, but given their multi-disciplinary approach, they are suitable for a broad audience with interest in learning how to reduce waste streams and/or gain valuable insights into circular business models to use in other sectors or to become more circular on the purchasing side.
Do I need to take the courses in the proposed order?
You may choose to enroll in any course of your choice based on your background knowledge or experience. The courses give insights from a number of different perspectives.
If I want a certificate, which course should I follow?
The verified track offers a certificate if completed successfully. With verified access you are able to complete all graded quizzes and assignments. A minimum score of 60% is required in order to pass. If you are interested in the full program (2 courses) you will receive a Professional Program Certificate and benefit from a further reduced bundle price.
How much time do these courses take?
Each course is 7 weeks long and set up in modules but these are self-paced, meaning that you can study in your own time. You can expect an average study load of 6-8 hours per week when following the standard timeline (1 module per week).
What assessment methods are used in these courses?
A combination of literature reading/review with multiple choice quizzes and assignments are used to test your understanding of the content of the course.
