Greening the operating room, one procedure at a time

Patel, Shital D.; Smith-Steinert, Rachel

doi:10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100014

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Patel et al. (2021) offered technical recommendations for the prioritisation of biodegradable medications and emphasised educational interventions to healthcare workers 10 . Finally, Mittal et al.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of these papers have focussed either on specific elements of healthcare such as telemedicine 33,34 or on wide and often multidisciplinary interventions for sustainability in healthcare 34,35 . While both approaches are valuable, it is important to discuss environmental sustainability in the context of specific disciplines of medicine and surgery, so as to provide practical recommendations 9–12 . The latter has already been attempted by studies focussing on surgical practices such as plastic and general surgery, however outpatient and primary practice have been greatly underrepresented in literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…34,35 While both approaches are valuable, it is important to discuss environmental sustainability in the context of specific disciplines of medicine and surgery, so as to provide practical recommendations. [9][10][11][12] The latter has already been attempted by studies focussing on surgical practices such as plastic and general surgery, however outpatient and primary practice have been greatly underrepresented in literature. Our recommendations are summarised in Figure 2.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To halt the vicious circle of environmental pollution and musculoskeletal morbidity, it is crucial to adopt an environmentally sustainable model of care in outpatient orthopaedics and rheumatology. Although this need has already been studied in other fields including general and plastic surgery and podiatry, to the authors best knowledge, outpatient orthopaedics and rheumatology is yet to be addressed 9–12 . This review provides an overview of energy expenditure and waste associated with outpatient orthopaedics and rheumatology care and critically discusses how this waste can be reduced without compromising the quality of the healthcare services.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although this need has already been studied in other fields including general and plastic surgery and podiatry, to the authors best knowledge, outpatient orthopaedics and rheumatology is yet to be addressed. [9][10][11][12] This review provides an overview of energy expenditure and waste associated with outpatient orthopaedics and rheumatology care and critically discusses how this waste can be reduced without compromising the quality of the healthcare services. • Climate change necessitates environmentally sustainable musculoskeletal care.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental sustainability in healthcare: Time to make outpatient care in orthopaedics and rheumatology greener

Tsagkaris

Nikolakea

Laskaratou³

et al. 2023

Health Planning & Management

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Introduction Chronic musculoskeletal conditions affect billions of individuals and constitute the greatest contributor to disability worldwide. Climate change has a negative impact on these conditions, causing a rising number of patients seeking medical attention in outpatient orthopaedic and rheumatology clinics. Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the delivery of care by these facilities tends to become more energy‐intensive due to the increased usage of protective equipment and testing for the purpose of maintaining hygienic conditions. Therefore, practitioners and health bodies in the field need to take action to make their practice more environmentally sustainable and protect both the environment and their patients. Methods The authors searched peer reviewed and grey literature for relevant sources. Results The present review of the literature provides an overview of the environmental pollution associated with outpatient musculoskeletal care and discusses evidence‐based recommendations from previous studies. Conclusion Telemedicine, rationalised use of consumables and equipment, physician‐led climate advocacy and patient education have a major potential to turn the tide.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental sustainability in healthcare: Time to make outpatient care in orthopaedics and rheumatology greener

Tsagkaris

Nikolakea

Laskaratou³

et al. 2023

Health Planning & Management

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The perceptions and adoption of environmentally sustainable practices among anesthesiologists—a qualitative study

Leong

Xin

Lin

et al. 2023

Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth

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Purpose Previous surveys of anesthesiologists showed that despite a strong interest in implementing environmentally sustainable anesthetic practices, less than a third do so. Qualitative understanding of the capability, opportunity, and motivational factors that influence “green” behavior will inform the design of effective interventions to promote environmentally sustainable practices in the operating room (OR). Methods We conducted 23 semistructured interviews with anesthesiologists, with data saturation achieved. Applying the Behavior Change Wheel, interview questions addressed “capability,” “opportunity,” and “motivation” determinants of behavior. Results Preference for sevoflurane and syringe reuse were most commonly cited as existing environmentally sustainable anesthetic practices. Several participants reported lack of knowledge and feedback as impediments to sustainable anesthetic practices. Reported physical barriers included inadequate recycling facilities and abundance of supplies. Interviewees also discussed the importance of habitual behavior in improving skill sets and reducing cognitive load required to perform environmentally sustainable practices. General awareness of environmental issues and aggregation of marginal gains were reasons for environmentally sustainable measures in the OR. Organizational practice and culture played a significant role in the propagation of sustainable anesthetic practices, with senior staff often carrying a greater influence. While the majority preferred a top-down approach to effect change, others favored the use of incentives. Conclusion This study provides insight into the factors that influence the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices in the OR. Measures to promote these practices include education and training, feedback on efforts, engagement of senior anesthetists as role models and for change management, environmental restructuring, and policy designs that balance a top-down vs bottom-up approach to influencing change. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12630-022-02392-0.

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Incorporating carbon into health care: adding carbon emissions to health technology assessments

McAlister

Morton²,

Barratt³

2022

The Lancet Planetary Health

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Greening the operating room, one procedure at a time

Cited by 9 publications

References 10 publications

Environmental sustainability in healthcare: Time to make outpatient care in orthopaedics and rheumatology greener

Environmental sustainability in healthcare: Time to make outpatient care in orthopaedics and rheumatology greener

The perceptions and adoption of environmentally sustainable practices among anesthesiologists—a qualitative study

Incorporating carbon into health care: adding carbon emissions to health technology assessments

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