Transitions to sustainable health systems: A rapid review of sustainable healthcare interventions
Climate change is harming human health and wellbeing in Australia and worldwide, and exacerbating existing health inequities.
Australia’s health system, contributing between 5-7% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, faces the dual challenge of reducing its environmental footprint while addressing climate-related health impacts.
MSDI’s Evidence Review Service (ERS) undertook a review to inform a series of workshops in mid-2024 that support the work of the Transitions to Sustainable Health Systems consortium, and action 4.4 of the Australian Government’s National Health and Climate Strategy – the development of a health system decarbonisation roadmap.
The review provides an overview of the relative strength of research evidence across various sustainable healthcare interventions, structured around the themes of the workshop series.
This work has built upon two previous reviews by the ERS:
- Climate change and Australia's healthcare systems: a review of literature, policy and practice about climate change and Australia’s healthcare systems for the Royal Australian College of Physicians.
- A review of sustainable healthcare: policy, practice, and research with a focus on safety and quality for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care which informed the Commission’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience Healthcare Module.
Key findings
Interventions for buildings, transport and energy
- Measures such as optimising heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, transitioning to light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, and incorporating renewable energy sources significantly reduce environmental impacts.
- Promoting low-emission vehicles and telehealth lowers the carbon footprint of healthcare operations.
Interventions for procurement, waste and circular economy
- Using reusable equipment and reducing consumables in surgical settings decreases both carbon footprints and costs.
- Recycling, waste segregation, reuse, and reprocessing are essential for minimising the environmental impact of healthcare services.
Interventions for models of care, prevention, and remote care and telemedicine
- Reducing low-value care and implementing behaviour change initiatives effectively lower greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
- Virtual consultations and digital health interventions reduce travel-related emissions and improve healthcare access, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
Interventions for governance, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
- Leadership and policy are critical for achieving sustainability goals, emphasising the need for systemic strategies and comprehensive policy frameworks.
- More rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and reporting are necessary to inform policy and identify evidence gaps, ensuring the long-term success of sustainability initiatives.
This rapid review highlights the urgent need for targeted, collaborative efforts and systemic changes to achieve sustainable healthcare practices in Australia. The findings aim to guide policymakers and healthcare stakeholders in making informed decisions to promote health and environmental sustainability.