Reverse Healthcare Supply Chains for Circular Economy

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REHEAL addresses the pressing challenge of transitioning healthcare supply chains from linear to circular models, aligning with the EU’s Green Deal ambitions of zero pollution, climate neutrality, and circularity. Linear supply chains, dominated by single-use medical devices, lead to significant waste, supply chain vulnerabilities, and substantial carbon emissions. By leveraging innovative digital tools, REHEAL aims to enable sustainable procurement, refurbishment, recycling, and resource recovery in healthcare systems. Coordinated by the University of Edinburgh’s Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) group, REHEAL unites a formidable Buyers Group of five healthcare systems from Scotland, Galicia, Denmark, Greece, and Poland. This group represents 261 hospitals, employs nearly 300,000 healthcare professionals, and serves over 17 million citizens. Complementing this are the consortium’s partners, including EIT Digital, Europe’s largest digital innovation ecosystem, and leading healthcare researchers, policymakers, and suppliers, ensuring multidisciplinary expertise and robust implementation capabilities. The project deploys a PPC strategy, enriched by CivTech methodologies, to co-design and pilot innovative reverse supply chain solutions with 20 suppliers. The top-performing solution will undergo wide-scale validation and deployment across the Buyers Group, fostering new market opportunities for startups and SMEs. Additionally, REHEAL will establish a Community of Followers, engaging 20+ healthcare systems in a Public Procurement of Innovation roadmap, scaling the impact across Europe. Expected outcomes include measurable reductions in waste and emissions, cost savings for healthcare systems, and enhanced supply chain resilience. By transforming procurement practices, REHEAL accelerates the adoption of circular economy principles, laying the groundwork for an EU-wide market for sustainable healthcare innovations, driving both environmental and economic benefits globally.