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ASOHNS ASM 2025
ASOHNS ASM 2025
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Going Green: What can health professionals do?

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Institution: MED-EL GmbH - Tirol, Austria

Aim We are facing a climate crisis. Our greenhouse gas (GHG) emission has spiked. We have an increase in temperature of 1.1°C since 2011. Healthcare is the fifth largest producer of GHG. A Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) report found that high-income countries have exceptionally high levels of health-related carbon emissions. This paper will review sustainability literature and define what we as healthcare professionals can do for sustainability. This will be reinforced by using a survey to understand what health professionals are currently doing. Method The literature review will define Environment, Social and Economic (ESG) factors, review the Social Development Goals (SDG) goals from the United Nations, discuss a Green Team, and what is being done in the healthcare environment. Part two is a survey of health professionals to ascertain what they currently do and where they could go in the future. Most literature on sustainability on healthcare are review articles. The survey here will provide evidence of what people are doing. Results Data from 37 healthcare professionals will demonstrate their focus on sustainability. Their ideas for the future will also be reported on. This will link in with the review, which will show us what we can do to contribute to planetary health. Examples of this will be creating a Green Team, and developing ideas based on applicable SDGs. Conclusion Every drop creates an ocean. What we do personally and in our professional environment will make a difference to us, and to those who come after us. Health professionals can consider sustainability in their private lives, within their community, and within their workplace. The impact that healthcare systems have on climate change highlights the need of adopting and carrying out interventions to slow down climate change. Results discussed in this paper should help health professionals move forward in their sustainability practises.

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