To operationalize carbon emissions reductions in healthcare, we need four things:

1) Standards and goals for carbon emissions reductions in hospitals (likely defined at the federal level)
2) More lifecycle analysis (LCA) studies that are applicable across the hospital supply chain
3) Calculators, like the one provided by Practice Greenhealth, to quickly and accurately attach numbers to carbon emission footprints
4) Diligent governance by hospitals of their supply chains to favor supplies with the lowest carbon footprint

Hospitals use a significant number of very different types of supplies, and it is unrealistic to expect that each product will come with its own LCA. However, based on LCA studies of major product categories, we can arrive at fairly healthy approximations. For example, at Innovative Health, when we talk about the reduction of carbon footprint provided by our products and services, we reference a Fraunhofer carbon emissions study based on the reprocessing operations of a different reprocessing company (Vanguard in Germany, a member of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors). The study is based on one type of electrophysiology device, and it assumes certain transportation distances, chemical uses, number of reprocessing cycles, etc. University of Brighton scholars added a sensitivity component to their review of the Fraunhofer study, so we know that variability caused by these differences do not dramatically alter the results.

The point is this: To create climate accountability in healthcare, we need carbon emissions calculators, and we need more LCA studies. And since hospitals today have zero visibility into Scope 3 carbon emissions, good approximations are better than nothing. It’s time for more suppliers in healthcare to stop making excuses and start providing real solutions to carbon footprint measurement and reduction in healthcare.

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