High value healthcare is low carbon. A cull of low value care will cut healthcare’s carbon emissions

Abstract

Previous research has found Australia’s healthcare community is responsible for seven percent of the country’s national carbon emissions. The hospital and pharmaceutical sectors account for 63 percent of that carbon footprint.

This perspective piece suggests a change in the model of clinical care in Australia to help lower carbon emission levels. One way is cutting down on unnecessary laboratory tests. It could save Australia over 8000 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year.