Key messages
- Environmental data is information on the environmental impacts resulting from operating a facility or organisation.
- The Environmental Data Management System (EDMS) provides a standardised, web-based platform for the management of environmental and utility data for the health system.
Environmental data is information on the environmental impacts resulting from operating a facility or organisation. In the Victorian public healthcare sector, environmental impacts include energy and water consumption, waste generation and treatment, transport fuel consumption, paper usage and environmental impacts from procurement.
Environmental data is collected to meet a range of reporting requirements aimed at improving resource management and reducing environmental impacts within the public healthcare sector.
Benefits of environmental data management
Environmental data management provides a range of benefits including:
- assisting health services to manage their environmental impacts and identifying areas for improvement
- informing the development of new environmental policies and programs for the Victorian public healthcare system
- allowing the department to analyse environmental impacts across the sector, and to provide advice to health services on improving environmental performance
- assisting the department to roll out resource efficiency programs and monitoring their effectiveness.
Environmental Data Management System
The Environmental Data Management System (EDMS) is a web-based system that provides a standardised platform for managing environmental and utility data.
The EDMS is being progressively rolled out over 2014-15 and 2015-16 to all Victorian public health services, Ambulance Victoria and Department of Health & Human Services corporate offices.
The EDMS will collect and manage consumption and cost data for energy, water, waste, paper, vehicle fleet and medical gases. See the Environmental Data Management System (EDMS) factsheet for further information.
Agency Information Management System
Energy and water data is currently collected from Victorian public healthcare services using energy forms within the Agency Information Management System (AIMS). From 1 July 2016 the EDMS will replace AIMS for managing environmental data.
Tools for energy and water metering
Energy and water meters are a valuable source of environmental data. Metering systems can accurately monitor the energy and water flows from an overall level down to individual appliances and provide data not available on energy and water bills.
The Guidance note on implementing effective energy and water metering systems assists health services to identify the appropriate level and configuration of meters necessary to assess performance.
Access to environmental data by third parties
Annual aggregate data for the Victorian public healthcare system is released publicly via the department's annual report. Victorian health services also report publicly on their individual environmental impacts.
Reviewed 10 November 2023