engleski

Life cycle assessment in healthcare system optimization. Introduction

The fast industrial development, active population growth, the extremely high level of consumption of resources with the following air, water, soil pollution-induced increasing interest to new eco – friendly tools and technologies. In modern science so far so often a rising awareness paid to the concept of social responsibility, which means the obligation to act benefiting society at large and a duty for every individual to perform maintaining a balance between the economy and environment [4]. Forming the basis patterns for a modern science, researchers solved many problems of humanity. Nevertheless, it is necessary to emphasize that since Democritus' the reductionist approach was ideologically preferred in the western science, much effort has been directed to the excessive value of details and analyzing of processes from the point of view of their decomposition into constituent elements, parts, or small particles. It caused the underestimation of the interrelations and interdependence of system components and respectively led to the loss of understanding of the systems "holistically". Holism was an idea firstly introduced by Plato, later developed by anthropologists stated that all the properties of a given system could not be determined and explained by its component parts alone [5]. The different aspects of humanity were taken into account. There was the physical (biology) and cultural (archeology, linguistics), the cross-cultural, looking at what it meant to be human. Therefore, the system as a whole determined how the parts behaved. Thus, the holistic approach was the examination of all the aspects of humanity. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary – "Holistic means relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. Hereby, holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system" [34]. In course of time the concept migrated to medicine and in 40's was actively popularized by the prominent public health leader Andrija Stampar. He wrote the introductory declaration of the Statute for just established World Health Organization and defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" [6. p.697-708]. Inasmuch our fast developing society requires quick responses to problems and challenges, the modern managerial systems have to be not just well structured, that exactly facilitate the studying of main subjects, but also integral, fast performing, adaptable, sustainable and with ability to be holistically analyzed. The reference frame should be structurally expanded with preservation of objectivity and scientifically reliable conclusions. Thus, through the application of new outstanding tools and technologies inside the boundaries of proposed enhanced framework appropriate new effective methods should been introduced. Among such numerous approaches of a complex analysis, this article draws attention to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). While been scientifically proven it allows quantifying environmental damages caused by the lifecycle activity of a product. The method developed with the purpose to achieve maximum quantification of the entire life cycle of a product [7]. A comparatively short history of its emergence began with Harold Smith's report of a calculation of cumulative energy requirements for the production of chemical intermediates and products in the 1960's [8]. In 70's the process of quantifying the use of resources and environmental releases of products became known as a Resource and Environmental Profile Analysis, as practiced mainly in the United States. In Europe, it was called an Eco balance. From 1975 through the early 1980's, as interest in these topics waned because of the fading influence of the oil crisis, environmental concerns shifted to issues of hazardous and household waste management. Through this period, sincere efforts to create a protocol or standard research methodology for conducting such works have been made. The multi – step methodology involves a number of assumptions. During these years, the asumptions and techniques used underwent considerable review by the US Environmental Protection Agency and major industry representatives, with the result of evolving of the most reasonable methodologies. After years of development in connection with these events, first databases have been created. A broad range of practitioners and researchers across the globe have been further refining and expanding the methodology. The need to move beyond the inventory to impact assessment has brought LCA methodology to another point of evolution and from 1997 to 2002 led to the development of the LCA standards formalized by the International Standards Organization 14000 series [3]. In 2002, the United Nations Environment Programme joined forces with the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry to launch the Life Cycle Initiative, which now is a well-known international partnership on a subject [9]

life cycle assessment ; holistic approach ; healthcare management ; social responsibility ; modelling

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