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- Title
Estimated Carbon Emissions Savings With Shifts From In-Person Visits to Telemedicine for Patients With Cancer.
- Authors
Patel, Krupal B.; Gonzalez, Brian D.; Turner, Kea; Alishahi Tabriz, Amir; Rollison, Dana E.; Robinson, Edmondo; Naso, Cristina; Wang, Xuefeng; Spiess, Philippe E.
- Abstract
Key Points: Question: Can telemedicine visits for patients with cancer help in reducing carbon emissions? Findings: This cross-sectional study included 49 329 telemedicine visits at a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. For patients living within a driving distance of 60 minutes from the cancer center, an estimated 424 471 kg carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were saved (per-visit mean savings of 19.8 kg CO2 emissions) due to telemedicine, the equivalent of 91.5 passenger vehicles driven for 1 year. For patients whose driving distance was greater than 60 minutes, 2 744 248 kg CO2 emissions were saved (per-visit mean savings of 98.6 kg CO2 emissions), the equivalent of 591 passenger vehicles driven for 1 year. Meaning: These results highlight the carbon emissions savings that could be gained with the increased use of telemedicine in oncology. This has important implications in reducing health care–related carbon footprint. This cross-sectional study of patients with cancer treated by a comprehensive cancer center in Florida estimates the reductions carbon emissions associated with increased use of telemedicine visits. Importance: While the health care community advocates broadly for climate change policy, medical professionals can look within care practices to assess their contribution to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and provide solutions wherever possible. Telemedicine can help in mitigating climate change by providing care from a distance. Objective: To assess the carbon savings achieved from telemedicine visits. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study of telemedicine visits was conducted at a single-institution National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center. Eligible patients were aged 18 years and above, completed telemedicine visits from April 1, 2020, to June 20, 2021, and had a Florida mailing address documented in their electronic medical record. Groups were divided between those within driving time of 60 minutes (1-way) to the cancer center vs those living beyond 60 minutes of drive time. Data were analyzed between April 2020 and June 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Carbon emission savings from telemedicine, measured in total and average per-visit savings. Results: A total 49 329 telemedicine visits with 23 228 patients were conducted from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. A total 21 489 visits were for patients with driving time of 60 minutes or less (median [IQR] age, 62.0 [52.0-71.0] years; 12 334 [57.4%] female; 1685 [7.8%] Black, 1500 [7.0%] Hispanic, 16 010 [74.5%] non-Hispanic White), while 27 840 visits were for patients with driving time greater than 60 minutes (median [IQR] age, 67.0 [57.0-74.0] years; 14 372 [51.6%] female; 1056 [3.8%] Black, 1364 [5.0%] Hispanic, 22 457 [80.7%] non-Hispanic White). For patients living within a driving time of 60 minutes from the cancer center, 424 471 kg CO2 emissions were saved (mean [SD] emissions savings, 19.8 [9.4] kg CO2 per visit) due to telemedicine—equivalent to 91.5 passenger vehicles driven for 1 year. For patients whose driving distance was greater than 60 minutes, 2 744 248 kg CO2 emissions were saved (mean emissions savings, 98.6 [54.8] kg CO2 per visit)—equivalent to 591 passenger vehicles driven for 1 year. Conclusions and Relevance: Using a large data set, this cross-sectional analysis highlighted the carbon emissions savings due to telemedicine in oncology. This has important implications in reducing health care–related carbon footprint.
- Subjects
GREENHOUSE gases; CROSS-sectional method; RETROSPECTIVE studies; CANCER patients; ECOLOGICAL impact; ENVIRONMENTAL health; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; MEDICAL appointments; DATA analysis software; TELEMEDICINE
- Publication
JAMA Network Open, 2023, Vol 6, Issue 1, pe2253788
- ISSN
2574-3805
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.53788