With 8% of carbon emissions in the U.S. stemming from the healthcare system, Wendy Levinson, MD, provided actionable recommendations for physicians to make a change.
In the article published July 17 in JAMA Insights, Dr. Levinson — former chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto — highlighted that U.S. physicians may not be aware of healthcare's contribution to climate change or may not believe they can make a difference.
HHS recommended in a 2022 report that healthcare organizations reduce their carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. Here are Dr. Levinson's recommendations to work toward that goal:
1. Avoid unnecessary tests and treatments.
Up to 30% of medical tests and treatments are unnecessary or their costs outweigh their benefits, Dr. Levinson said. As a result, unnecessary carbon emissions are produced when drugs are shipped across the world, transported to pharmacies and given to patients in containers that are later sent to landfills.
Reducing unnecessary tests could also minimize plastic waste and carbon emissions.
2. Consider treatment alternatives with less negative climate effects.
One example is replacing metered-dose inhalers that contain greenhouse gas hydrofluoroalkane with dry powder inhalers, which are linked to 95% less carbon emissions.
3. Incorporate sustainable quality improvement.
This concept is outlined in the American Society of Anesthesiologists' "Greening the Operating Room" program, in which anesthesiologists can use sevoflurane anesthesia gas instead of desflurane. The latter accounts for "5% of the greenhouse gas emissions of a typical hospital," Dr. Levinson said.
4. Find climate-friendly alternatives in routine care.
Patients produce carbon emissions by traveling to appointments that in some cases could be virtual, Dr. Levinson said. Other alternatives include utilizing reusable products instead of paper gowns and minimizing paper forms.