Sustainability communication among accredited hospitals in Türkiye: A website-based ESG content analysis

Abstract

Sustainability has become an important healthcare management issue because it is closely related to quality, organizational accountability, efficient resource use, and the long-term continuity of healthcare services. However, little is known about how accredited hospitals communicate sustainability to stakeholders. This study aimed to identify sustainability-related themes presented on the official websites of accredited hospitals in Türkiye and to assess the extent to which these themes reflect integrated institutional communication. A descriptive cross-sectional website content analysis was conducted. The official websites of 56 accredited hospitals, including 39 accredited by Joint Commission International and 17 accredited by the Turkish Healthcare Quality and Accreditation Institute, were systematically reviewed between 1 and 20 April 2026. Publicly available content was coded using predefined environmental, social, and governance indicators. Sustainability communication was most visible in the social dimension, particularly in relation to patients, employees, health and safety, and stakeholder engagement. Governance-related communication was strongest for accreditation and certification, whereas information on organizational structures was less consistent. Environmental topics were less visible overall, and sustainable procurement, transport, food systems, climate change, and carbon-related practices were rarely communicated. Differences between accreditation groups were observed for selected indicators, but these findings reflect variations in public disclosure rather than institutional performance. Overall, sustainability communication remained uneven and largely operational rather than strategically integrated. The study provides a national reference point for understanding how accredited hospitals position sustainability within quality, governance, and accreditation.

Keywords

• accreditation
• content analysis
• hospitals
• sustainability
• website

Türkiye'deki Akredite Hastanelerde Sürdürülebilirlik İletişimi: Web Sitesi Tabanlı ESG İçerik Analizi

Abstract

Sürdürülebilirlik; hizmet kalitesi, kurumsal hesap verebilirlik, kaynakların etkin kullanımı ve sağlık hizmetlerinin uzun vadeli devamlılığı ile yakından ilişkili olması nedeniyle sağlık yönetiminin önemli gündemlerinden biri hâline gelmiştir. Buna karşın, akredite hastanelerin sürdürülebilirliği paydaşlarına nasıl aktardığına ilişkin bilgi sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’deki akredite hastanelerin resmî web sitelerinde yer alan sürdürülebilirlik temalarının belirlenmesi ve bu temaların kurumsal iletişime ne ölçüde bütüncül biçimde yansıtıldığının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel nitelikteki web sitesi içerik analizinde, Joint Commission International tarafından akredite edilen 39 ve Türkiye Sağlık Hizmetleri Kalite ve Akreditasyon Enstitüsü tarafından akredite edilen 17 hastane olmak üzere toplam 56 hastanenin resmî web sitesi 1–20 Nisan 2026 tarihleri arasında sistematik olarak incelenmiştir. Kamuya açık içerikler, önceden belirlenen çevresel, sosyal ve yönetişim göstergelerine göre kodlanmıştır. Sürdürülebilirlik iletişiminde en görünür alanın sosyal boyut olduğu; hasta ve çalışanlara yönelik uygulamalar, sağlık ve güvenlik ile paydaş katılımının öne çıktığı belirlenmiştir. Yönetişim boyutunda akreditasyon ve belgelendirmeye ilişkin içerikler yaygın olmakla birlikte, kurumsal yapılanmaya ilişkin bilgiler daha sınırlı ve değişken bulunmuştur. Çevresel konuların genel olarak daha az görünür olduğu; sürdürülebilir satın alma, ulaşım, gıda sistemleri, iklim değişikliği ve karbonla ilişkili uygulamaların nadiren paylaşıldığı görülmüştür. Akreditasyon grupları arasında bazı göstergeler açısından farklılıklar bulunmakla birlikte, bu sonuçlar kurumsal performanstan çok kamusal açıklama farklılıklarını yansıtmaktadır. Genel olarak sürdürülebilirlik iletişiminin dengeli olmadığı ve stratejik bütünleşmeden çok operasyonel düzeyde kaldığı değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışma, akredite hastanelerin sürdürülebilirliği kalite, yönetişim ve akreditasyon çerçevesinde nasıl konumlandırdığını ortaya koyan ulusal bir başvuru noktası sunmaktadır.

Keywords

• akreditasyon
• içerik analizi
• hastaneler
• sürdürülebilirlik
• web sitesi

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