Climate change is one of the biggest threats to public health. Sustainability is characterized by using resources wisely in a way that protects finite resources and the environment, and takes into account the needs of our planets' inhabitants in the future. Sustainability in health care should be considered as a seventh domain of quality, as it can lead to improvement of patient outcomes, and more capacity for health care workers to engage in quality improvement and thereby improve the quality of care. The carbon footprint of primary care is high, mainly due to prescribing medication, but also due to the transport of patients to hospitals and primary care services for interventions requested by family medicine. Other causes are the transport of staff and supplies, consumables and staff involved in laboratory analysis and radiation, medical and non-medical equipment, clinical and non-clinical waste, heating and cooling systems and other activities. Small adjustments in these areas could significantly decrease the carbon footprint of primary care practices. The suggested steps for primary care to achieve a more sustainable practice are fostering research, raising awareness, reducing the burden on primary care, engaging in quality improvement, and leadership and advocacy. Each individual primary care practice has the potential to be a leader and role model for sustainable health care. With the implementation of interventions to reduce carbon footprints, primary care could set an example within the health sector and for patients. This could significantly raise the awareness of the public about the need to take actions for a greener health system.
Podnebne spremembe so ena največjih groženj javnemu zdravju in so že začele povzročati zdravstveno krizo. Za trajnost je značilna pametna raba virov na način, ki varuje omejene vire in okolje ter upošteva potrebe prebivalcev našega planeta v prihodnosti. Trajnost v zdravstvenem varstvu je treba obravnavati kot sedmo domeno kakovosti, saj lahko vodi v boljše izide zdravljenja in s tem izboljšanje kakovosti oskrbe.Ogljični odtis je na primarni ravni visok, predvsem zaradi predpisovanja zdravil, pa tudi zaradi prevoza osebja in bolnikov, ogrevalnih sistemov, medicinskega potrošnega materiala, nemedicinske opreme, odpadkov, laboratorijskih analiz, nemedicinskega potrošnega materiala, medicinske opreme in električne energije. Majhne prilagoditve na teh področjih bi lahko znatno zmanjšale ogljični odtis primarnega zdravstva. Možnosti za povečanje trajnosti na primarni ravni so spodbujanje raziskav, ozaveščanje, zmanjšanje obremenitev primarnega zdravstva, sodelovanje pri izboljšanju kakovosti ter vodenje in zagovorništvo.Vsaka ambulanta na primarni ravni ima potencial, da postane vzor za trajnostno zdravstveno varstvo. Z izvajanjem intervencij za zmanjševanje ogljičnega odtisa bi lahko bile ambulante družinske medicine zgled v zdravstvenem sektorju, pa tudi za bolnike oz. celotno prebivalstvo. Stem bi lahko močno dvignili zavest javnosti o potrebi po bolj zelenem okolju.
Keywords: carbon footprint; primary care; quality; sustainability.
© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo.