Sustainable health care

It’s time to stop using nitrous oxide for pediatric mask induction – Diane W. Gordon, Debnath Chatterjee & Forbes McGain

2023-12-06T15:07:32+11:00Carbon footprint, Climate change, Publications, Sustainable health care|

Mask induction of anesthesia for pediatric patients has included the use of nitrous oxide since the inception of pediatric anesthesia. However, the use of nitrous oxide precludes adequate preoxygenation. Additionally, pediatric physiology (less Functional Residual Capacity, higher oxygen consumption), increased risk of laryngospasm and lack [...]

Exploring anaesthetists’ views on the carbon footprint of anaesthesia and identifying opportunities and challenges for reducing its impact on the environment – Matilde Breth-Petersen et al.

2023-12-04T12:38:35+11:00Carbon footprint, Carbon neutral, Climate change, Publications, Sustainable health care|

A shift in practice by anaesthetists away from anaesthetic gases with high global warming potential towards lower emission techniques (e.g. total intravenous anaesthesia) could result in significant carbon savings for the health system. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to understand anaesthetists’ perspectives [...]

Reusable versus single-use ICU equipment: what’s the environmental footprint? – Forbes McGain & Scott McAlister

2023-12-01T14:02:46+11:00Carbon footprint, Climate change, Publications, Sustainable health care|

Many clinicians, concerned about climate change, have focussed their attention onto single-use medical items, given the large amounts of waste they produce. Since the 1990s, the use of single-use items has swelled due to infection control concerns, especially due to the emergence of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob [...]

Nitrous Oxide Use in Australian Health Care: Strategies to Reduce the Climate Impact – Yigang Liu et al.

2023-12-01T10:28:00+11:00Carbon footprint, Carbon neutral, Climate change, Publications, Sustainable health care|

Nitrous oxide is a useful inhaled analgesic. Due to its high global warming potential and ozone-depleting properties, the nitrous oxide emissions related to health care are being increasingly scrutinized. In this narrative review, we will discuss the clinical uses of nitrous oxide relevant to anesthetists, [...]

Overdiagnosis and too much medicine in a world of crises – Kühlein et al.

2023-11-01T11:20:56+11:00Overdiagnosis, Overtesting, Overtreatment, Publications, Sustainable health care|

Our global medical culture has driven excessive diagnostic testing, overmedicalisation, and overtreatment across many conditions that may harm patients, exhaust healthcare resources, and harm the planet. The authors call upon local, national, and international decision makers to more prominently and openly acknowledge these issues and [...]

French professional society guidelines on improving patient and planetary health: Liberté, égalité, fraternité… et durabilité! – Forbes McGain, Clifford Shelton, Scott McAlister

2023-10-23T15:13:57+11:00Guidelines, Health professionals, Publications, Sustainable health care|

Editorial associated with the recommendations for professional practice of the Société Française d’Anesthésie et Réanimation (SFAR), the Société Française d’Hygiène Hospitalière (SF2H), and the Société Française de Pharmacie Clinique (SFPC) guidelines for reducing the environmental impact of general anaesthesia. *French language

Impacts of Climate Change on Health and Health Services in Northern New South Wales, Australia: A Rapid Review – Grace W. Lee, Kristina Vine, Amba-Rose Atkinson, et al.

2023-10-23T15:13:24+11:00Climate change, Health system, Publications, Sustainable health care|

The need for LHDs to prepare for the effects of climate change and implement whole-of-system responses at the local level are emerging. Our rapid review found a relatively small number of studies that explored the impacts of climate change on health and health services. Most [...]

Implementation approaches to improve environmental sustainability in operating theatres: a systematic review – Jessica F. Davies, , Brigit Ikin, Jillian J. Francis, Forbes McGain

2023-10-23T15:13:13+11:00Publications, Sustainable health care|

Operating theatres are amongst the most important carbon-contributing areas of hospitals. Several interventions are known to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare, but the means of achieving that rapidly and effectively remains unknown. The authors found that there are no reports of fully scaled implementation [...]

Towards net zero: critical care – Heather Baid, Eleanor Damm, Louise Trent, Forbes McGain

2023-10-23T15:13:00+11:00Publications, Sustainable health care|

Critical care is resource intensive, using large amounts of energy, pharmaceuticals, and single-use consumables, all of which potentially have a harmful impact on the environment. We can view environmental sustainability in critical care via the framework: avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and research. Reducing the [...]

Go to Top