In the midst of growing concerns about climate change, virtual consulting may have just emerged as a new and innovative approach to achieving environmentally sustainable healthcare.
A recent study suggests that the growing use of telemedicine, including video and telephone-based visits, has drastically reduced patient travel time for face-to-face appointments, making virtual consulting a promising tool in the fight against climate change.
This photograph, taken on November 24, 2022, shows stethoscopes at a doctor's office at the Pontgibaud health house in central France. - Midwives, dermatologists, radiologists, general practitioners: more than 50 professionals work in the health center in Pontgibaud, an exemplary health oasis for this rural area which, until recently, was considered a medical desert. (
The Role of Virtual Consulting
Sara Shaw and her team conducted a research study titled "The Role of Virtual Consulting in Developing Environmentally Sustainable Health Care: Systematic Literature Review," which involved reviewing 1672 published studies and narrowing down to 23 studies that explored different virtual consulting equipment and platforms used in various clinical conditions and services.
Despite variations in the methods and approaches utilized to determine carbon savings, all studies consistently concluded that virtual consulting led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.
"This review clearly shows that virtual consultations offer one means to help with becoming more environmentally sustainable. While the adoption and spread of virtual consulting need to be considered alongside a range of system, organizational, clinical, and patient-related factors when done well and at scale, they offer significant potential for carbon savings, primarily (though not only) through reductions in travel," Professor Shaw from the University of Oxford said in a press release statement.
Virtual consulting has seen a surge in use due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential to contribute to environmental sustainability in healthcare.
However, the healthcare industry still needs further research to fully grasp the extent of carbon emissions and other environmental impacts, such as electronic waste, throughout the entire clinical pathway.
The study also notes that it is crucial for stakeholders to understand the potential for emission reductions and weigh them against the benefits and potential risks associated with virtual consulting services.
Carbon Foorprint Modeling
Both funders and evaluators are encouraged to incorporate carbon footprint modeling into their design and methods on a routine basis and actively participate in the transdisciplinary effort to review, monitor, and tackle environmental sustainability issues in order to enable swift and significant change.
The findings of this study provide a promising outlook for the future of environmentally sustainable healthcare. As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change, virtual consulting may prove to be a key tool in cutting down the carbon footprint in healthcare.
The research team's findings were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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