Promoting Sustainability Practices in the Outpatient Pediatric Setting

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Healthcare Management
• Sustainability in Medicine

Background:

• Healthcare systems significantly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, exacerbating the climate crisis.
• Current clinical medicine practices often overlook sustainability, despite the environmental impact of healthcare.
• Growing awareness of healthcare's carbon footprint is prompting institutions to adopt mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary "green" team in an outpatient general pediatrics practice.
• To share practical strategies for reducing a healthcare workplace's carbon footprint.
• To promote broader awareness and idea generation for climate action in professional and personal spheres.

Main Methods:

• Formation of an interdisciplinary "green" team within a general pediatrics outpatient practice.
• Implementation of changes aimed at reducing the workplace carbon footprint.
• Consolidation of vaccine information sheets into a single-use format with quick response (QR) codes to reduce paper usage.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of sustainability initiatives within a general pediatrics practice.
• Demonstrated reduction in paper usage through the adoption of QR codes for vaccine information.
• Identified potential for significant monetary savings through energy and material conservation in healthcare settings.

Conclusions:

• Interdisciplinary "green" teams can effectively implement sustainability practices in clinical settings.
• Small-scale changes, such as reducing paper consumption, contribute to a lower carbon footprint.
• Fostering awareness and innovative ideas is crucial for collective climate action in healthcare and beyond.