Reducing healthcare carbon emissions: A Primer on measures and actions for healthcare organizations to mitigate climate change (AHRQ, September 2022)

Summary

A new AHRQ resource, “Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change,” is now available to help healthcare organisations reduce their carbon footprint and protect communities from climate threats. AHRQ contracted with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to develop the primer. It describes six domains contributing to greenhouse gas emissions in healthcare: building energy; transportation; anaesthetic gas; pharmaceuticals and chemicals; medical devices and supplies; and food. The primer identifies measures to track progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in each domain. It also features vignettes of what health systems have done to reduce emissions and includes resources and tools to support implementation.