NRS-427VN - Policy Brief: Gaseous Emissions in Health Care Setup

This policy brief addresses the critical issue of gaseous emissions within the United States health care delivery system and their detrimental effects on public health and the environment. The report highlights the significant contribution of healthcare activities, including direct and indirect emissions from energy consumption, material use, and supply chain operations, to air pollution, climate change, and related health problems. The analysis emphasizes the need for proactive measures, such as energy efficiency improvements, waste reduction, and the adoption of low-carbon alternatives, to mitigate these emissions. The brief proposes specific policy recommendations, including stakeholder engagement, funding considerations, and the implementation of sustainable practices, to create a healthier and more environmentally responsible healthcare system. It underscores the importance of aligning healthcare practices with environmental goals to improve population health and reduce the burden of disease associated with air pollution.

Running head: GASEOUS EMISSIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SETUP 1
Gaseous Emissions in the Health Care Delivery Setup
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Problem Statement
In the current decade, the United States health care delivery system bears responsibility
for a fair share of emissions that pollutes the air and negatively impacts on the national
population. The system is responsible for the acid rains which stand at 12%, air pollutants and
gaseous emissions at 19%, smog formation at 10%, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic air
toxins at 1%, and ozone depletion at 1% (Eckelman & Sherman, 2018). The US health care
delivery system constitutes a wide array of industrial undertakings responsible for a great portion
of the country’s pollution to water, air, and soils. Precisely, gaseous emissions are indirectly and
directly attributable to the harmful effects that befall the general public at a national level.
Gaseous Emissions in the Health Care Delivery Setup
Suggestively, the health care delivery system ought to lead by example by taking the
edge off its ecological footprint so as to better the national health and in turn global health. As
compared to other nations, by far the US spends a lot in the health care system. In
approximation, the spending is about a fifth of the nation’s GDP. Despite the sizeable figures, the
US ranks second globally when it comes to gaseous emissions. In a recent estimate, the overall
emission footprint of the health care system underscores the role played by the health care
system in the physical value of the country’s wellness. Single-handedly, the health care delivery
system contributes to approximately 8% of the country’s gaseous emissions from indirect
undertakings linked to health care supply of goods and services, direct purchases, and direct
health care activities (Eckelman & Sherman, 2016).
Whilst gaseous emissions are a critical type of emissions that initiate climate change and
negatively impacts on the nationwide human health and livelihoods, other categories with similar

GASEOUS EMISSIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SETUP 3
repercussions are worth looking into. Apart from the direct emissions that emanate from health
care facilities, other indirect emissions are known to occur as a result of electricity production
and materials put to use by these facilities. When it comes to energy intensiveness, among
commercial units, hospitals rank second after food production facilities (Frumkin, 2017).
Typically, hospitals are large units that operate 24 hours on a weekly basis. Additionally, its
operations are somewhat energy intensive due to activities which include but not limited to
ventilation systems, cooling, heating, use of laboratory equipment, refrigeration, computing, and
laundry.
Some of the healthcare operations are known to require high energy inputs and
equipment for functionalities. In sum, the health care delivery system is tied to and supported by
a variety of activities that result in air, water, and soil pollutions at a nationwide level. These
aforementioned emissions are a contributory factor for the ballooning national disease burden.
Ideally, if the US health care delivery system was to be graded, it would take the 13th spot
worldwide for gaseous emissions due to the fact that some of the emissions and the resultant
damages to human health wellbeing are as results of somewhat inevitable repercussions of
general economic activity and energy use (Health Leaders Media, 2019). The combined emission
from industrial activities and health care delivery systems calls for the promptness in addressing
the concern since in return Americans heavily spend twice as much when it comes to health care.
Environmental care calls for going far and beyond in trying to achieve triple goals set out
by the American Institute for Healthcare Improvement specifically; improved care for
populations, better individual care, and reduction of per-capita expenses (Climate Change, 2019).
Countering emissions offers a lifeline for environmental and economic improvement without

GASEOUS EMISSIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SETUP 4
compromise to care quality. Countering both the direct and indirect emissions is key for
contributing to a sound and safe health system that is bent on improving the overall quality of
healthcare thus efficiency can be achieved through countering the unintended adverse effects of
the same. A significant decrease in emissions linked to the health care sector will be directly
beneficial to the US. The yearly fatalities of cancers, respiratory infections, heart diseases,
stroke, and pulmonary disease cases attributed to exposure to the emitted pollutants will be
countered with a decline in emissions (John, 2019). The World Health Organization records the
health care delivery system stands to gain from apt adoption and employment of mitigation
procedures for instance access to and use of renewable energy forms (WHO, 2019). In that
regard, given the high spending figures, a high level of sound population health is necessary. A
number of opportunities to offset indirect burdens from emissions tied to health care delivery
exist. This can also be attained via efficiency adjustments and waste reduction measures in the
overall care delivery.
The US government liaises with the Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) for a nationwide
campaign that is bent on sustainability and improvement of the environmental health and the
health care delivery system as a whole (Eckelman & Sherman, 2016). The HHI engages US
hospitals in their transition to environmentally friendly and sustainable operations. It does so by
offering recommendations for improving the environmental footprints in key areas with the
intent of reducing indirect and direct emissions, campaigning for more efficient and cleaner
energy use, waste reduction, healthier foods, water conservation, and safe cleaning chemicals.
The US Department of Health and Human services eases HHI’s work by being at the forefront of
promoting already formulated interventions and policies in areas of health care delivery (David
& Seervai, 2019). Among other key interventions, the department is also charged with the

GASEOUS EMISSIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SETUP 5
overall responsibility of lessening the burden of deteriorated health of the US population which
is also indirectly affected by environmental pollution such as gaseous emissions. In that light, the
department places a priority on low carbon energy alternatives in operation and design, energy
sourcing, energy efficiency, and equipment retrofitting just to mention a few.
In sum, combined with other factors, emissions from health care related activities add to
the already high poor health incidences in the US. There is a dire need for well-coordinated
efforts to counter gaseous emissions to improve the overall performance of the health care
system. This can be done via energy saving measures, waste reduction, and prioritizing
alternatives with low carbon in the quest to boost health care safety of practice and quality for
sustainable development in the health care world.

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References
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Eckelman, M. J., & Sherman, J. (2016). Environmental impacts of the U.S. health care system
and the effects on public health. PLoS ONE.
Eckelman, M. J., & Sherman, J. D. (2018). Estimated Global Disease Burden From US Health
Care Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions. American Journal of Public Health.
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Frumkin, H. (2017). The US Health Care Sector’s Carbon Footprint: Stomping or Treading
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