Greening Infection Prevention and Control: Multifaceted Approaches to a Sustainable Future.
Pamela S Lee1, Irene Frantzis2,3, Shira R Abeles4
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
|February 17, 2025
Summary
Infection prevention and control (IP&C) can significantly reduce healthcare
Area of Science:
- Healthcare environmental sustainability
- Infection prevention and control (IP&C)
- Public health and climate change
Background:
- Infection prevention and control (IP&C) is essential for patient safety in healthcare settings.
- Current IP&C practices can generate substantial waste and pollution, impacting environmental sustainability.
- Climate change and pollution pose emerging challenges to IP&C effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the complex relationship between environmental sustainability, climate change, and IP&C.
- To identify opportunities for IP&C to lead in reducing healthcare's environmental footprint.
- To highlight how IP&C can adapt to climate change impacts.
Main Methods:
- Review of current IP&C practices and their environmental impact.
- Analysis of the intersection between healthcare sustainability goals and IP&C.
- Exploration of adaptive strategies for IP&C in the context of climate change.
Main Results:
- Many IP&C measures can be modified for environmental friendliness without compromising safety or patient outcomes.
- Significant opportunities exist for IP&C to drive sustainability in healthcare.
- IP&C practices will be increasingly influenced by climate change and pollution.
Conclusions:
- Integrating environmental sustainability into IP&C is crucial for optimizing healthcare's ecological footprint.
- IP&C professionals can play a leading role in advancing sustainable healthcare.
- Proactive adaptation of IP&C is necessary to address climate change impacts.
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