The Commonwealth Fund’s Post

Thanks for amplifying this powerful piece, Colby Dailey. If you are at a health system working to #shifttheinvestmentlandscape what enables your team to be effective or what could help #acceleratetheshift? Especially liked: "Health professionals are the most trusted voices to deliver the climate and health message, and hospitals and health systems are among the largest employers in many states, giving the sector ethical, economic, and political influence. The health sector has a tremendous opportunity and moral obligation to leverage this trust and influence to fundamentally shift the investment landscape."

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential for improving health care quality, safety, and equity. Health plans, with their significant financial and policy influence, are key to driving this change. They can design policies, determine benefits, negotiate costs, and incentivize sustainable practices, thus reducing operational costs, improving health outcomes, and benefiting the planet. "Recognizing the inextricable link between planetary health and the well-being of their patients, health plans have a responsibility to drive environmental sustainability within the system." #ClimateChange #Health #HealthCare #HealthPlans #GreenhouseGases #Emissions #PatientCare #Patients #ClimateIsHealth

Are you a #healthcaresystem , #hospital or other healthcare related entity? Are you familiar with funding options that can help you reduce your emissions? The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) Quickfinder for Leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act for the Health Sector The Quickfinder for Leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for the Health Sector is meant to help health stakeholders take advantage of the opportunities for resilience and emissions reduction in this historic legislation. It is divided into the following sections: Background Overview of Investments and Actions Potentially Facilitated by the IRA Relevant IRA Programs for the Health Sector Tax Incentives and Direct Pay Provisions Grants and Incentives for Lowering Emissions Grants and Incentives for Climate Resilience Appendix A: Example Use Cases Appendix B: General Advice for Grant Applicants Learn more here: The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) Quickfinder for Leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act for the Health Sector https://lnkd.in/gdqyEWMy And don't forget about HHS's free webinar series that will help you become familiar with additional resources: Webinar Series: Accelerating Healthcare Sector Action on Climate Change and Health Equity https://lnkd.in/dJ7EviSR

5 Actions to Help Drive Health Care Decarbonization Health care leaders can ask questions and prompt efforts to tackle the climate crisis that propel their organizations toward providing a healthier, more equitable future https://lnkd.in/eptMVFEb

BDHEA is leading the charge in healthcare decarbonization, and we're dedicated to advancing health equity through sustainable practices. In partnership with Deloitte and The Commonwealth Fund, we've identified five key actions to promote sustainability in healthcare: 1️⃣ Understand health care's role in the climate crisis. 2️⃣ Elevate connections between climate change and health equity. 3️⃣ Know your organization's emissions footprint and the path to decarbonization. 4️⃣ Frame decarbonization as a business imperative. 5️⃣ Recognize the board's role in governing decarbonization. Read about how board directors can help enable a more sustainable, resilient future via The Wall Street Journal. The complete Decarbonization Action Guide is available on our website. https://lnkd.in/gmW4k_Vz #Decarbonization #AdvancingHealthEquity #ClimateCrisis

To survive and prosper long term health systems must be financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable. All health systems face a challenge in being sustainable in that costs rise ahead of inflation; patients and citizens can lose confidence in systems that offer poor quality care, are hard to access, and feel unresponsive; and most health systems have rising emissions of greenhouse gases and generate huge amount of waste, including leaking pharmaceuticals into the environment. https://lnkd.in/eDBr-WWk

United HealthGroup recently released our 2023 Sustainability Report, showing how we're building a more equitable, high-performing, and sustainable health system. We have accomplished some great things: - Closed nearly 400 million gaps in care since 2021, on track to meet our commitment to close 600 million by 2025. - Surpassed $1 billion in affordable housing investments since 2011. - Charted our path to operational net zero by 2035, including new investments in renewable energy that will reduce our carbon footprint. The report also allows you to meet the real people behind our progress – the doctors, care advocates, technologists, and community health workers who are delivering on our mission every day. Read the full report ➡️ uhg.co/2023SR #UnitedHealthGroup #Sustainability #HealthcareSystems

Supply chains are a significant contributor to any organisation’s carbon footprint and, in this research published today, my co-authors and I quantified just how big that contribution is for WA’s public health care system. We found that 47.4% of WA Health’s carbon footprint was generated in its supply chains, 32.4% in the delivery of care, and 20.2% by transport. There is increasing focus on the role of health care systems in both adapting to and mitigating climate change, as seen in the Australian Government’s recently launched National Health and Climate Strategy. Our results indicate that any strategy focused on decarbonisation should not be limited to the direct delivery of care but should also include the emissions embedded in the supply chains that support that delivery of care. #climatecrisis #sustainability #supplychains #healthcare #USYD https://lnkd.in/gX7beCcs

A new survey from The Commonwealth Fund finds that clinicians overwhelmingly want their employers to take climate action. Health care organizations that are taking meaningful steps to reduce carbon emissions and reduce their environmental footprint may also have an easier time retaining and recruiting clinical staff. These findings should motivate hospitals and health systems to decarbonize and reduce their environmental impact. #ClimateChange #Health #HealthCare #Decarbonization #Hospitals #ClimateIsHealth

🏥 Health care, it turns out, has a large carbon footprint. But who in the sector is responsible for reducing the emissions and waste it produces? While the short answer is everyone, Maria Gaden says clinicians, as drivers of health care consumption, are uniquely positioned to take immediate action while waiting for new laws, regulations, and incentives to be put in place. Here, Gaden, the head of department at Denmark’s Center for Sustainable Hospitals (Center for Bæredygtige Hospitaler), explains that some 80% of health care emissions come from the goods and services used when treating patients, from single-use medical equipment and medicines to gloves, gowns, and scrubs. “With clinical workers leading the charge,” she says health care facilities can change health care consumption without compromising quality or safety. Ultimately, Gaden believes “the greenest care is the care we don’t provide at all.” What’s needed is a renewed focus on prevention to keep people healthy and reduce the need for care down the road, as well as concerted efforts to reduce the amount of medically unnecessary “low value” care that patients receive. Read her post to learn what clinicians in Denmark are doing to lead the transition to a more sustainable health care future.