Sustainable Quality Improvement-Presentation Slides

Presentation Slides

Pdf Summary

The presentation, “Sustainable Quality Improvement: Using QI to Decarbonize Healthcare,” addresses the urgent challenge of climate change as the greatest health threat identified by the WHO. It highlights the significant environmental impact of healthcare, noting that the U.S. healthcare sector contributes 8-10% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions—much higher than the global average of 4.4%—and accounts for a disproportionate share of global healthcare emissions. Most emissions come from Scope 3 sources, encompassing supply chains and indirect emissions.<br /><br />The presentation emphasizes that frontline healthcare workers, who often feel disconnected from emissions impact, actually engage with most emission domains and have key roles in decarbonization efforts. Multidisciplinary collaboration among doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, environmental services, and supply administrators is crucial to address emissions from medical devices, pharmaceuticals, waste, and other sources.<br /><br />Linking environmental sustainability to high-value healthcare, it integrates sustainable care as a critical domain alongside safety, timeliness, effectiveness, equity, efficiency, and patient-centeredness. Sustainable quality improvement (SusQI) applies quality improvement methodologies to identify carbon hotspots, reduce waste, and enhance patient and staff outcomes. The approach balances environmental, financial, social, and health impacts, aiming for interventions that optimize benefits, reduce harms, and minimize resource use with good return on investment.<br /><br />A clinical example shows how reducing unnecessary renal ultrasounds for acute kidney injury can save substantial costs and carbon emissions. The presentation also discusses the carbon footprint of various imaging modalities, with renal ultrasounds and MRIs having quantifiable CO2 equivalents per scan.<br /><br />Action steps recommended include forming green teams, engaging leadership, assessing resources, and using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. Clinicians are encouraged to consider climate impacts in care decisions, reduce unnecessary interventions, decrease patient travel through telehealth, and improve workflow efficiency. Overall, sustainable quality improvement is framed as essential to delivering high-value, environmentally responsible healthcare that protects patients, staff, and the broader community.

Keywords

Sustainable Quality Improvement

Decarbonize Healthcare

Climate Change Health Threat

Healthcare Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Scope 3 Emissions

Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Sustainable Care Domains

Carbon Hotspots Reduction

Renal Ultrasound Carbon Footprint

Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles