Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
An action guide to help health care organizations reduce their carbon footprint and protect communities from climate threats, this primer offers guidance for health systems on high-priority decarbonization strategies and measures.
Highlights
- 6 domains contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in health care: Building energy, transportation, anesthetic gas, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, medical devices and supplies, food
- For each domain, critical strategies for reducing GHG emissions and measures to track progress
- Vignettes of what health systems have done to reduce GHG
- Resources and tools to support implementation of decarbonization strategies
Sampath B, Jensen M, Lenoci-Edwards J, Little K, Singh H, Sherman JD. Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change. (Prepared by Institute for Healthcare Improvement under Contract No. 75Q80122P00007.) AHRQ Publication No. 22-M011. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; September 2022.
Climate change has a significant impact on public health and the health care sector, in turn, is a significant contributor to climate change.
To support health care organizations in advancing their decarbonization commitments, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) contracted with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to develop a primer that offers guidance on high-priority measures and strategies for health care organizations to reduce their carbon footprint and protect communities from climate threats.