Chua Mui Teng, Chung Lynette Yan Ee, Ng Ee Yang, Lim Hannah Xin Yi, Cheung Nicole Mun Teng, Lim Clement Kee Woon, Lee Zi Yao, Kuan Win Sen
Emergency Medicine Department, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Emergency Department, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Ann Transl Med. 2025 Jun 27;13(3):31. doi: 10.21037/atm-25-57. Epub 2025 Jun 24.
Climate change and global warming pose increasing threats to human health. These could have significant impact on healthcare systems, especially emergency services. In this narrative review, we aim to examine how climate change affects emergency attendances and operations, and to suggest strategies to reduce environmental impact through sustainability efforts.
We performed literature search of published studies on healthcare environmental sustainability and climate change in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and Scopus databases using the following search terms: ("climate change" OR "global warming" OR "heatwave" OR "heat wave" OR "greenhouse effect") AND ("emergency department" OR "emergency medicine" OR "emergency, hospital services"), ("sustainability in healthcare" OR "environmental footprint" OR "carbon footprint" OR "carbon emission" OR "greenhouse gas" OR "energy us*" OR "waste") AND ("health care system" OR "health system" OR "health care" OR "healthcare" OR "health sector"). Study team members conducted independent searches of articles and any discrepancy between two members was resolved by a third independent co-investigator.
Climate change increases incidences of both communicable and non-communicable diseases through heat-related illnesses, respiratory and infectious diseases, and physical injuries from natural disasters, leading to higher demand on emergency services. Structural damage and physical injuries from natural disasters also negatively impact healthcare resources. Vulnerable populations like the very young and elderly are extremely susceptible. Ironically, the healthcare sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste production. There are challenges faced by both patients and healthcare providers in adopting sustainability in healthcare. We proposed the SCRAP strategy (Stewardship of resources, Carbon footprint reduction, Research, Advocacy for change, and Policies and education) to attain sustainable healthcare: (I) stewardship of resources; (II) carbon footprint reduction; (III) research; (IV) advocacy for change; and (V) policies and education.
As the frontline of most healthcare systems, emergency departments bear the brunt of resultant increased attendances. Urgent actions by the emergency medicine fraternity are needed to understand and tackle the causes and consequences of climate change in tandem with environmental sustainability efforts to mitigate these issues.
气候变化和全球变暖对人类健康构成日益严重的威胁。这些可能会对医疗系统，尤其是急诊服务产生重大影响。在本叙述性综述中，我们旨在研究气候变化如何影响急诊就诊和运营，并提出通过可持续发展努力减少环境影响的策略。
我们在PubMed、Embase、谷歌学术和Scopus数据库中使用以下检索词对已发表的关于医疗环境可持续性和气候变化的研究进行文献检索：（“气候变化”或“全球变暖”或“热浪”或“热波”或“温室效应”）以及（“急诊科”或“急诊医学”或“急诊，医院服务”），（“医疗保健中的可持续性”或“环境足迹”或“碳足迹”或“碳排放”或“温室气体”或“能源使用*”或“废物”）以及（“医疗保健系统”或“卫生系统”或“医疗保健”或“医疗保健”或“卫生部门”）。研究团队成员独立检索文章，两名成员之间的任何差异由第三位独立的共同研究者解决。
气候变化通过与热相关的疾病、呼吸道和传染病以及自然灾害造成的身体伤害，增加了传染病和非传染病的发病率，导致对急诊服务的需求增加。自然灾害造成的结构破坏和身体伤害也对医疗资源产生负面影响。非常年幼和年长等弱势群体极易受到影响。具有讽刺意味的是，医疗保健部门对温室气体排放和废物产生有重大贡献。患者和医疗保健提供者在采用医疗保健可持续性方面都面临挑战。我们提出了SCRAP策略（资源管理、减少碳足迹、研究、倡导变革以及政策与教育）以实现可持续医疗保健：（I）资源管理；（II）减少碳足迹；（III）研究；（IV）倡导变革；（V）政策与教育。
作为大多数医疗系统的前线，急诊科首当其冲地承受了就诊人数增加的后果。急诊医学界需要采取紧急行动，与环境可持续性努力协同理解和应对气候变化的原因及后果，以缓解这些问题。
