University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC Utrecht )

The Netherlands, Utrecht

UMC Utrecht is a leader in innovative and sustainable nephrology, focusing on regenerative medicine and the development of green healthcare solutions.

General info

Patients: ~1000 kidney transplant patients and ~80 dialysis patients.
Innovations: Future-focused dialysis unit aimed at integrating sustainable practices. ISO 13485 certified technical department enabling implementation of technological innovations.
Staff: Comprehensive team including nephrologists, researchers and engineers. Close collaboration with dialysis clinic Dianet with largest home hemodialysis population in Europe.

Optimisations Applied

Energy and Water Efficiency

Reducing disinfection cycles for the Reverse Osmosis and induction loop
Installation of the GPS (GreenTec Performance System) software for real-time monitoring of the RO processes and heat and water consumption of the dialysis installations

Waste Management and Disposal

Draining used blood circuits—including bloodlines, artificial kidneys, and effluent bags—before disposal to reduce waste mass, lower disposal costs, and minimise CO₂ emissions from transport and central incineration or decontamination processes
Emptying plastic bags with biological fluids and decontamination of (bio)hazardous waste to enable recycling
Introducing recycling bins at each dialysis station, supported by staff training, to enable waste separation at source and reduce incineration of recyclable materials

Resource Savings

Replacing sterile connection sets with safe, non-sterile alternatives for the aseptic puncture of venous access for hemodialysis to save space, reduce costs, and decrease waste production

Optimising use of Dialysis Machines

Sustainable procurement of new dialysis machines
Using the auto-flow function on dialysis machines to reduce the consumption of water, acid and bicarbonate during haemodialysis

Contact

Karin Gerritsen

k.g.f.gerritsen@umcutrecht.nl

Benchmarking Dashboard

The KitNewCare project will develop a benchmarking tool based on the 4 factor Life Cycle Assessment carried out at the 4 European pilot sites. This tool will enable kidney care centers to assess their environmental, social, financial, and health outcomes.