Assessing water sustainability related to hospitals using system dynamics modeling

Abstract Water is a critical but limited resource. As the population increases, the demand for this resource is growing. However, water needs to be sustained for current as well as future generations. Sustainability considers the balance between social, economic, and environmental factors. Hospitals are one of the major stakeholders within healthcare systems and one of the top users of water resources. This paper discusses a systems thinking approach to evaluate water sustainability related to hospitals and considers how different factors related to hospitals and water sustainability associate to each other. A system dynamics simulator is presented that models the behavior of different factors related to hospitals and water sustainability. The model can help decision makers make more informed decisions related to the factors that have an impact on water sustainability related to hospitals such as water reuse and water reduction. Information about the simulator is presented along with initial results using actual hospital data.