Health care providers save lives every day, but hospital operations also consume large amounts of energy and water and generate significant waste. In the United States, the health care sector is responsible for around 8.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions.
A team of researchers has developed a framework to help health care organizations better measure and improve their environmental performance. Their findings were published in The Lancet: Planetary Health.
"Hospitals need to track their environmental impact," said corresponding author Patrick Romano. "Our team is advocating for the inclusion of environmental sustainability measures in health care quality reporting."
Romano is a professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at UC Davis Health and is affiliated with the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research.
The researchers emphasize that measuring and reporting the environmental impacts of hospital operations is essential for making meaningful progress. Consistent tracking can help hospitals identify priorities, evaluate improvements and integrate sustainability into routine decision-making.
