Reducing the carbon footprint of radiology through automatic workstation shutdown protocols

Climate change poses a major threat to human health, with significant contributions from healthcare systems, with the UK National Health Service (NHS) accounting for 4% of national CO₂ emissions. Radiology departments, with high energy consumption from heating, ventilation, cooling (HVAC), and scanners, also contribute significantly. Workstations, though less power-intensive than scanners, are numerous and offer an avenue for emission reduction potential. This study investigates the impact of an automatic power-off/on protocol for radiology workstations at an acute hospital trust on energy consumption, carbon emissions, and financial savings.

Data from 88 reporting workstations were collected on power usage, CO₂ emissions, and the associated energy cost before and after implementing an automatic shutdown protocol, which ensured workstations were turned off out of hours and over weekends.

Average weekly workstation on-time fell from 148 to 75.5 hours, resulting in an annual energy saving of 17 MWh, equivalent to a reduction of 3.4 tonnes CO₂ equivalent and a financial saving of £5000. No complaints or issues with workflow disruption were reported.

This intervention demonstrates a significant reduction in emissions and energy costs without workflow disruption, offering an easy and replicable sustainability measure for radiology departments. While savings are modest compared to HVAC and scanner emissions, the protocol's simplicity and effectiveness in addressing human factors in power management highlight its potential. Broader application across hospital networks could yield substantial environmental and financial benefits. These findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve sustainability within radiology and health care.