| Popis: |
Digital health incorporates many efficient new solutions like tele medicine and access to digital test results and medical reports. In this retrospective study, we analyze the environmental impact of digital health activity. We evaluate the net CO2 emissions avoided through a reduction in patient travel to surgeries and medical clinics thanks to the alternative of digital appointments or the digital access to test results and medical reports which avoid the need travel into a clinic for a face-to-face visit or to pick up printed results or reports. During 2020 a total of 640,122 digital appointments were carried out by the healthcare company, which avoided 1,957 net Tons of CO2 emissions, while patients downloaded 3,064,646 digital medical reports through the company portal, which avoided a further 4,698 net Tons of CO2 emissions. These two digital health solutions avoided a net total of 6,655 Tons of CO2 emissions. The present study demonstrates that digital health, specifically digital appointments and digital reports, reduce the environmental impact of healthcare by reducing the need for patient travel, contributing both to population and planet health. |
