Abstract
Sustainability is increasingly recognised as a strategic priority in South Africa’s private healthcare sector, where organisations must balance clinical excellence, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility. This study investigates the critical sustainability business practices that enhance sustainable performance within private healthcare institutions in South Africa. The research is conducted within South Africa’s private healthcare sector, engaging professionals from hospitals, clinics, and healthcare management organisations. A qualitative, exploratory design is applied, involving semi-structured interviews with 17 healthcare professionals purposively selected across managerial, clinical, and administrative roles. Data are analysed thematically using an interpretive framework guided by Stakeholder, Resource-Based View, Institutional, and Systems theories. Four meta-analytical themes emerge: leadership and innovation as sustainability drivers, integrated governance for systematic implementation, resource optimisation for operational excellence, and performance integration for continuous improvement. These collectively inform the Sustainability Integration and Performance Model (SIPM). The findings reveal that sustainable transformation in private healthcare depends on visionary leadership, effective governance, environmental stewardship, and adaptive learning. The study contributes a context-specific conceptual model and theoretical synthesis that enhance understanding of sustainability integration in South African private healthcare, offering practical insights for leaders, managers, and policymakers pursuing long-term healthcare resilience and sustainable value creation.