Data-Driven Sustainability: Modeling the Emissions Impact of Virtual Health Services in Australia

The healthcare sector contributes approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which are the leading driver of climate change and have substantial negative effects on human health. If considered as a country, it would rank as the fifth-largest emitter globally. Virtual health services, including telehealth and remote care, have emerged as a means to address this environmental burden while maintaining accessibility and equity. This study applies a recently developed multi-modal emissions measurement framework to Healthdirect Australia's FY 2023-24 service data to quantify the impact of emissions on their service. Analysis of the 964,278 calls received during the financial year shows that 56% of callers originally intended to visit a clinical service before calling Healthdirect. These calls generated an emissions saving of 1.845 kt of Co2-e, with the majority of savings occurring in urban areas. The findings provide a critical addition to the business case for digital and data-led health transformation, aligning economic, clinical, and environmental benefits to support the transition to sustainable, low-carbon healthcare systems.