Addressing Climate Health: A Practical Guide to Quantifying and Reducing Health Care-Associated Emissions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science in Healthcare
• Sustainability in Surgery
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis

Background:

• Healthcare facilities contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Quantifying emissions is crucial for developing effective reduction strategies.
• Surgical specialty hospitals have unique emission profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at a surgical specialty hospital.
• To identify key sources of GHG emissions related to patient care.
• To inform targeted interventions for emission reduction.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post study design utilizing a greenhouse gas inventory.
• Scope 1 (on-site) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity/steam) emissions were assessed for calendar years 2020-2022.
• Emissions were calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent using established global warming potentials and emission factors.

Main Results:

• Waste anesthetic gases and purchased steam were identified as the primary contributors to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
• Results were shared with hospital leadership to develop a targeted emission reduction plan.
• Ongoing monitoring is in place to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented interventions.

Conclusions:

• Facility-level GHG emission measurement enables tailored interventions and cross-organizational data comparison.
• Surgeons can champion healthcare system sustainability through collaboration and data-driven emission reduction efforts.
• Yearly assessments are vital for tracking progress in sustainability initiatives.