The Digital Dilemma | 5/20/2024

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This week, we have a special edition of the CHILL newsletter… our first guest feature! Lernik Essaye - a clinician by training, strategist by mind, and futurist by heart.

Deep Dive: The Carbon Footprint of Healthcare Technology

Guest Feature by Lernik Essayei, Researcher at New York University

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems worldwide have rapidly integrated virtual care solutions into their operations. This necessary shift has surfaced a critical question: What is the environmental impact of digital health?

A focal point of an analysis our team performed was the Electronic Health Records (EHRs). When compared to traditional paper medical records, EHR systems are found to produce up to eight times more greenhouse gasses—approximately 200,000 kg vs. 25,000 kg of CO2 equivalents. Notably, 90% of these emissions stem from the electricity used to power these systems.

How can this impact be reduced? Transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar or wind is a pivotal strategy for mitigating the environmental impact of digital health systems. Additionally, the use of energy-efficient computers and laptops can further reduce emissions.

Other areas of digital health include technologies like telemedicine, which significantly reduces carbon emissions by minimizing the need for patient transport. This is juxtaposed against their environmental costs, providing a holistic view of the carbon footprint of digital health.

The graph below, from another study, illustrates the trend in CO2 reductions attributable to fewer in-person consultations, thanks to telemedicine. This visual underscores the potential for digital health to enhance care while being environmentally conscious.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CommonSpirit saw a significant increase in telemedicine visits. A case study revealed that between March 8, 2020, and April 2, 2021, CommonSpirit conducted 1.5 million virtual visits through its clinic settings. This shift to telemedicine had a substantial environmental impact, preventing the burning of 1,678,956 gallons of fossil fuels and the release of 15,092 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Additionally, this transition to virtual care resulted in considerable cost savings for patients, who collectively saved nearly $11 million by avoiding the need to drive to their appointments.

As the healthcare sector moves forward, it is essential to weigh the environmental costs of digital innovations against their benefits. The clinical informatics community has started to develop some frameworks to conceptualize these tradeoff considerations in real world implementation, such as the ‘iClimate framework’. With the increasing rise of energy-intensive data and AI solutions in healthcare, this consideration is ever more critical, and we will dive into this topic further in the next newsletter. This balance is crucial not only nationally but also globally, ensuring that our advancements in healthcare do not come at an unsustainable environmental price.

Other news

  • Farm-to-Hospital Meals Can Help Protect Patients and the Climate. MedPage Today.

  • Climate change is affecting mental health literally everywhere. Yale Climate Connections.

  • Climate change is a health emergency, impacting multiple facets of human well-being via direct and indirect pathways. Nature Climate Change asked experts from different health fields to share their thoughts on the urgent issues and possible paths forward. Nature.

Events & opportunities

Other events and opportunities in the coming weeks:

Katie Lichter