Eco-Focused Innovation Challenges

On 16 October 2024, KitNewCare hosted its Innovation Challenge as a side event during the 6th Nordic Conference on Sustainable Healthcare in Malmö, Sweden. Moderated by Stiftelsen TEM Vid Lunds Universitet and Politecnico di Torino, the event brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers from across Europe to examine sustainability challenges in kidney care. Through a series of interactive working sessions, participants reviewed existing green-kidney-care solutions and explored novel methods for reducing environmental impact in hospital departments, home dialysis, and non-hospital clinics.

The agenda began with a keynote address by Daniel Eriksson (NCSH) on the role of sustainable healthcare networks, followed by presentations from Brett Duane and Anita Griffin (Trinity College Dublin) outlining KitNewCare’s vision for a green kidney-care ecosystem. Dr. Karin Gerritsen (University Medical Center Utrecht) then discussed how current technologies could be adapted for broader implementation. Industry insights were provided by Stephanie de Sury (Diaverum), who shared lessons from over 140 dialysis clinics, and Politecnico di Torino led hands-on workshops to identify gaps and co-create actionable innovations. Attendees departed with new professional connections, concrete project opportunities, and a roadmap to advance KitNewCare’s sustainability objectives.

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