Sustainability In Healthcare Flashcards
What are the different levels that sustainable change can be made?
Individual
Community
Organisational
City/region
National/international
Define planetary health
Considers the health of human civilisation and natural systems that it supports
Aims to understand how human activities impact health and how to address those impacts. (solutions orientated)
Social movement
Considers the reciprocal effects of humans (mal)health and ecosystem mal(health)
Define sustainability
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs
Considers environment, economic and social factors
How can climate change affect health?
Food production - malnutrition and diarrheal disease
Air Quality
Access to freshwater
Disease patterns - malaria, denge
Natural hazards and extreme weather (extreme heat)
Air pollution - asthma and CVD
Increasing allergens - resp allergies, asthma
Driving force of migration
How does climate change affect health inequality?
Countries typically LICs that contribute less to climate change suffer worse from health related impacts
1) Geographical location - extreme weather - level of development
2) Poorly developed health systems - unable to cope with increased demand.
What makes up the carbon consumption of the NHS?
Medical equipment, medicines and supply chain (indirect) - 60%
Direct NHS emissions - buildings, waste, water etc - 30%
Personal travel - patients and staff - 10%
Commissioned health services outside NHS - 4%
How does the GMP recommend we follow sustainable duty as doctors?
Making good use of resources available to you, providing the best resources possible, considering responsibilities to patients and wider population
Choosing sustainable solutions, that still maintain care standards - reduce environmental impact of healthcare.
What is meant by the triple bottom line in sustainability?
The environmental + social + financial impacts
What is sustainable healthcare?
- Reducing healthcares carbon emission by improving health and better delivery of healthcare
- Co-benefits to patients and the environment (which affects human health)
- Providing effective healthcare now without compromising the ability to provide effective healthcare in the future.
How do we reduce carbon without reducing health?
Reduce activity - prevention, patient empowerment, lean/streamlined pathways
Reduce carbon intensity - low carbon alternatives, operational resource use.
What are some examples of prevention activity that can help form sustainable health care?
Lifestyle changes - lower alcohol, physical inactivity, smoking cessation, healthier dietes
Reduces acute events
Reduction in medication
Screening and immunisation programmes
Reducing unnecessary cannulation in hospital
Avoid unnecessary test
What are some of the health effects of physical activity?
Reduce cognitive decline
Reduce type 2 diabetes
Reduce HTN
Reduce depression
Reduce all course mortality
Reduce breast cancer
Reduce heart disease and stroke
Reduce colorectal cancer
How can we use patient empowerment to increase sustainable healthcare?
Shared decision making
Motivational interviewing
Patients understanding of the impacts on the environment
Greater responsibility for managing own health
What is meant by lean pathways for improving sustainability in healthcare?
Streamlining services
Reducing unnecessary face to face appointments
Avoid admission to hospital
Home-based treatment
Advanced care planning
How can low carbon alternatives be used to increase sustainable health care?
Inhalers - MDI to DPI inhalers
Inhaled anaesthetics vs IV anaesthetics
Social and Green prescribing
