International Journal of Sustainable Engineering

The healthcare industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors of the global economy, accounting for a significant portion of national budgets and GDPs in many countries. However, healthcare systems face numerous challenges related to sustainability, including rising costs, increasing demand, and limited resources. The need for sustainable healthcare systems has become more critical than ever, given the example of COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on healthcare services and infrastructure.

A term that recently came in popularity and originated from Industry 4.0 is healthcare 4.0. Utilizing the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, healthcare sustainability in the Industry 4.0 era refers to the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies. Healthcare 4.0 aims to close the gap between gathering health information and changing behavior by using modern technologies that are accessible and easy to personalize. It also encourages the adoption of healthy and active lifestyles and behaviors throughout life and the country's health. One notable area benefiting from this revolution is Healthcare 4.0, which entails a transition from traditional hospital-focused care to a more decentralized, virtual care model that extensively utilizes cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, data analytics, genomics, home-based healthcare, robotics, and 3D printing. For a variety of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patients, and researchers interested in conducting additional research and development, a complete awareness of the existing digital frontiers in Healthcare 4.0 is expected to be beneficial.. The health care industry is more digital now than it was in previous decades; for instance, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, ultrasound scans, and electronic medical records are all forms of digital imaging. Healthcare 4.0 uses a wide range of digital technology to provide more effective and efficient health care services.

A set of developing technologies is suggested by Chanchaichujit et al., (2019) for adoption of Healthcare 4.0 in the healthcare sector. Healthcare 4.0 extensively on artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver timely and precise outcomes. Healthcare 4.0 requires a multidisciplinary environment that combines developments in a variety of disciplines, including computer science, engineering, economics, social science, public health, epidemiology, and others, in order to be effective. This will enable Healthcare 4.0's digital foundation to move beyond technology and address the social and human components of delivering high-quality care.

The sustainability in healthcare 4.0 is an interesting area to be researched. Technology is necessary for the adoption of socially responsible and environmentally sustainable practices, which has a beneficial large-scale impact on world health. Sustainability may have a big financial and environmental impact if it focuses on finding business challenges to solve. Instead of being an afterthought, adopting sustainable development as a founding idea will revolutionise how businesses operate. Through wireless networking technologies and IoT capabilities, Industry 4.0 connects machines, sensors, and other appliances to the people in charge of decision making in healthcare sector.

This special issue seeks to explore the latest research and innovative approaches to address the challenges of sustainability in healthcare systems. We invite submissions of original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore topics related to healthcare sustainability, including but not limited to:

• infrastructure design and management for sustainable provision of healthcare
• Sustainable supply chain management in healthcare
• waste management and circular use of resources in healthcare Sustainable healthcare policies and regulations
• Sustainable technologies and innovations for healthcare sector
• workforce development and training
• Sustainable healthcare outcomes and patient experiences
• Healthcare Digital Transformation
• Integrating sustainability into healthcare facility planning and design.
• The impact of sustainable healthcare infrastructure on patient outcomes and satisfaction.
• Green building materials and technologies for healthcare facilities.
• Healthcare facility management in maintaining sustainable infrastructure.
• The environmental and health impacts of healthcare waste and the effectiveness of current waste management practices.
• Role of stakeholders in promoting sustainable healthcare waste management, Strategies for reducing healthcare waste, etc.
• Strategies for integrating sustainability into healthcare supply chain management.
• Sustainable procurement practices in healthcare supply chains.
• Assessing the environmental and social impact of healthcare supply chains.
• Collaboration and partnerships for sustainable healthcare supply chain management.
• Managing and reducing waste in healthcare supply chains.
• Sustainable transportation and logistics in healthcare supply chains.
• Ethical and socially responsible sourcing in healthcare supply chains.
• Policies and regulations in promoting sustainable healthcare practices and outcomes.
• The impact of sustainable healthcare technologies on healthcare quality and efficiency, the development and implementation of sustainable healthcare technologies, etc.
• Integration of sustainable healthcare principles into healthcare workforce training and education.
• The patient-centered design of sustainable healthcare facilities and services. The role of patients in shaping sustainable healthcare design and delivery, such as incorporating patient preferences for green spaces or designing healthcare services that prioritize patient well-being and social responsibility.
• Impact of sustainable healthcare practices, such as green building design or energy-efficient medical devices, on patient outcomes and experiences, such as patient satisfaction, health-related quality of life, or healthcare utilization.
• Healthcare Digital and strategic transformations such as AI, VR, AR and other technologies and also the strategic transformations such as incorporating lean, agile as improvement tools for healthcare sustainable operations.
• Recent advancements in healthcare industry.

We encourage submissions from a wide range of disciplines, including healthcare management, economics, engineering, environmental science, and public health.

- Select "Healthcare Sustainability in Industry 4.0 Era” from the Special Issue dropdown menu when submitting your paper

- Research papers, Case studies and Review papers will be considered

- Final Publication scheduled (Tentative) – January 2024

Papers submitted as a part of the Special issue will be considered for thorough peer review and will be published as accepted and then a SI summary will be prepared by Guest Editor.

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