2023-05-16 08:30:39
Healthcare worldwide is surprisingly polluting. In the Netherlands, the healthcare sector also contributes seven percent to greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than air or shipping. That has to change. But how?
You may not think about it when you enter the hospital, but healthcare has an immense ecological footprint. While the healthcare sector is vital to human health and well-being, it contributes 4 to 5 percent of global carbon emissions globally. And in the Netherlands that percentage is even higher, around seven percent. That is more than the emissions from Dutch aviation or shipping. “If global health care were a country, it would be the world’s fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases,” said study author Alexandra Barratt. And so it is time for this sector to become more sustainable as well.
Pollution in the healthcare sector
As the figures above show, healthcare is therefore a surprisingly large polluter. The healthcare sector essentially pollutes in the same way as all economic sectors. “It pollutes the water, the air, and landfills (via the waste),” Barratt explains in conversation with Scientias.nl out. “With the help of electricity and other forms of energy, such as gas, hospitals, laboratories and equipment are powered. In addition, healthcare uses many products that all have to be manufactured from raw materials, packaged, distributed and disposed of after use. These ’embedded’ carbon emissions in healthcare supply chains are responsible for the bulk of the carbon footprint.” In the Netherlands, the production of chemical products, including pharmaceuticals and products such as soap and solvents, is responsible for the largest share (about 40 percent) of greenhouse gas emissions and resource use in healthcare, according to the RIVM.
Cardiovascular care
Within health care, cardiovascular care is probably one of the major polluters. “In Japan, there was a study that looked at hospital carbon emissions by disease type,” says Barratt. “They found that cardiovascular care has the largest footprint compared to other conditions. In Japan, this branch is responsible for about ten percent of the total carbon footprint of the health sector.”
Heart and vascular disease
And that in itself is not so strange. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common causes of death in the world. “Cardiovascular disease affects many people and therefore requires a lot of care,” explains Barratt. “It takes a lot to effectively prevent, diagnose, treat and monitor these diseases.” In short, this branch takes on a large part of the ecological footprint of the entire care. And so, according to Barratt, it is essential that action is taken. “It is very important that we minimize the environmental impact of healthcare,” she says.
Quality
The question is of course: is that actually possible? Some may worry that this will be at the expense of care. Fortunately, according to the researchers, that is not the case. Their study highlights that it is feasible to effectively reduce environmental impacts within cardiovascular care without compromising quality. In fact, steps to reduce CO2 emissions even turn out to be associated with lower costs in many cases.
Changes
In the study the researchers explain a diverse set of creative ways cardiologists can reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare. And that by simply making small, low-cost changes to the way they work. First, the researchers suggest taking a closer look at the equipment used to examine the heart. Choosing a different type of device could already make a big difference. For example, cardiac MRI scanners have a much larger environmental footprint than echocardiography. In addition, pacemakers (which can increasingly communicate wirelessly and, for example, send important information to doctors remotely) and digital doctor consultations can help reduce emissions. The organization could also be improved, so that fewer unnecessary blood tests are ordered and the use of personal protective equipment can also be reduced in some cases.
operating room
And that’s not even all. There is also profit to be made in the operating room. Here, in particular, the amount of waste can be addressed. For example, right now, the tubes that connect a patient to a machine that monitors the heart are often incinerated as medically regulated waste. But by flushing these hoses, it should be possible to dispose of them safely with normal waste.
Feasible
All in all, the researchers suggest different ways in which cardiovascular care can become ‘greener’ in their study. But to what extent are the proposed ideas actually feasible? “We can confidently say that reducing unnecessary and low-value equipment or tests, and using more energy-efficient imaging techniques, is realistic and achievable,” says Barratt firmly. “And this will bring very important benefits to the environment. Moreover, it is also good for patients and for healthcare.”
Measuring is knowing
While the researchers have devised effective ways to make cardiovascular care more sustainable, Barratt also wants to work towards a more sustainable health care system in general. “A crucial starting point is measuring the carbon footprint and mapping other environmental impacts of specific care practices,” she explains. “At the moment we lack that knowledge. And that while we need this information to see in which areas we can make further improvements. We also need more data to inform doctors and patients about safe and effective changes.”
So more research is needed to fill the gaps. This includes finding new ways to reduce the carbon footprint, as well as raising awareness among cardiologists, nurses and other healthcare professionals. “Medical professionals can really make a difference,” argues Barrat. “Moreover, I am convinced that they are very willing to protect the environment. Because no one sees the great importance of a healthy living environment as well as they do.”
#Healthcare #greener