The convenience of telehealth, popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic, may have an additional benefit: environmental friendliness, according to new research.
A study published in the American Journal of Managed Care on April 22 indicates that telemedicine can help lower carbon emissions. The study found that increased telehealth usage correlated with fewer cars on U.S. roads, leading to a monthly reduction in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to that of up to 130,000 gasoline-powered vehicles.
Researchers analyzed almost 1.5 million telemedicine appointments across urban and rural locations from April 1 to June 30, 2023. They estimated that between 741,000 and 1.35 million of these appointments replaced in-person visits. Based on these figures, they calculated that telemedicine reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 23,500 to 52,500 tons each month during the study period—equal to the emissions of 61,000 to 130,000 gasoline vehicles.
Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, co-senior author of the study and professor of medicine and director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design at the University of Michigan, stated that the healthcare sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. He noted that the U.S. health system accounts for nearly 9% of the nation’s emissions, while transportation contributes about 29%. He added that their findings suggest that substituting lower-carbon options like telemedicine for services that produce more emissions can reduce the environmental impact of medical care delivery.
The healthcare industry is actively addressing the need to decrease its carbon footprint. Globally, some clinics are rethinking which items can be , as well as the use of desflurane, an anesthetic; one bottle of desflurane emits the equivalent of driving a gasoline car for 2,200 miles.
The researchers acknowledge some limitations. While the study participants had sociodemographic characteristics similar to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the findings may not be representative of the entire population or account for regional variations like seasonal trends or internet access. Additionally, the decline in telemedicine use since the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an overestimation of future emissions reductions.
Nevertheless, the researchers believe these findings could influence policy decisions, especially as Congress considers extending pandemic-era flexibilities and Medicare waivers for telehealth.