A DATABASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS WITHIN HEALTHCARE

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Read snapshots of the latest research exploring healthcare's environmental impacts.

View summaries of new studies as they are added to the HealthcareLCA database. For a complete summary of each data source and to see reported environmental impact values for studied products and activities, explore the HealthcareLCA Database.

The carbon footprint of carpal tunnel release surgery in the United Kingdom

Jono Drew • May 24, 2023

The primary aim of our study was to assess the environmental impact of moving from a standard to a lean and green model for a carpal tunnel decompression. We objectively measured the clinical waste generated, the number of single use items and the number of sterile instruments required for a standard procedure, and then moved to smaller...

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The environmental impact of single-use, hybrid and reusable central venous catheter insertion kits

Jono Drew • May 11, 2023

Single-use items are frequently used for central venous catheter (CVC) insertions. In a previous study comparing a single-use kit to a kit containing reusable metal items, it was found that the carbon footprint was lower for the single-use kit, whereas the reusable kit was cheaper. We wanted to re-examine these findings in a contemporary European...

The environmental impact of in-person and virtual clinic visits in the United States

Jono Drew • May 9, 2023

Concern over climate change is growing in the healthcare space, and telemedicine has been rapidly expanding since the start of the COVID19 pandemic. Understanding the various sources of environmental emissions from clinic visits—both virtual and in-person—will help create a more sustainable healthcare system. This study uses a Life Cycle...

The carbon footprint of gastrointestinal endoscopy in France

Jono Drew • May 8, 2023

Background and study aims: Endoscopy is considered the third highest generator of waste within healthcare. This is of public importance as approximately 18 million endoscopy procedures are performed yearly in the United States and 2 million in France. However, a precise measure of the carbon footprint of gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE) is...

The carbon footprint of single-use endoscopy instruments in Spain

Jono Drew • Apr 27, 2023

GI endoscopy units represent the third largest producers of medical waste. We aimed to determine endoscopic instrument composition and life cycle assessment (LCA) and to assess a sustainability proposal based on a mark on the instruments that identifies parts can be safely recycled or ‘green mark’. Material composition analysis and LCA of...

The carbon footprint of laparoscopic and robotic radical prostatectomy in Italy

Jono Drew • Apr 21, 2023

More than 4% of the global greenhouse gas emissions are generated by healthcare system. Focusing on the environmental impact of minimally invasive surgery, we assessed and compared the CO emissions between Robot-assisted (RALP) and Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (LRP). In patients prospectively enrolled, we evaluated the age, surgical and...

The carbon footprint of laparoscopic appendicectomy instrument sets in the United Kingdom

Jono Drew • Apr 13, 2023

Introduction: After excluding anaesthetic gases, around one-third of carbon emissions from surgical procedures are from consumables. This sustainable quality improvement project revised the laparoscopic appendicectomy surgical set at a large teaching hospital, with the aim of reducing unnecessary usage of disposable laparoscopic ports and...

The environmental impact of single-use and reusable flexible bronchoscopes for tracheal intubation in France

Jono Drew • Apr 12, 2023

Reusable flexible bronchoscopes have historically been used for difficult tracheal intubation in the operating theatre, but the use of single-use bronchoscopes is on the rise. Single-use bronchoscopes are assumed to reduce the risks of cross-contamination1 and reduce hospital costs. However, their technical reliability for difficult tracheal...

The environmental impact of reusable and single-use incontinence underpads in the United States

Jono Drew • Mar 30, 2023

Objectives of quality principles in the clinical setting present nursing with opportunities for quality patient care but at lower environmental footprint. This affects patients, hospital personnel, and community because choices reduce climate change and thus support an innovative nursing role. This article aims to support nursing knowledge to...

The environmental impacts of tenofovir disoproxil

Jono Drew • Mar 23, 2023

Sustained demands for pharmaceutical commodities are continuously created due to economic development and the rapidly aging world population. However, the climate and environmental implications of globalized pharmaceutical manufacturing have not been sufficiently understood to inform the integration of key learnings into sustainability...

The climate impact of phacoemulsification cataract surgery in Spain

Jono Drew • Mar 22, 2023

Climate change is one of the most important threats to human health nowadays. The healthcare industry produces a significant part of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The aim of this study is to assess direct and indirect GHG emissions due to cataract surgery in Spain to identify opportunities for improving. This observational case series study...