Environmental impact assessment in healthcare: utility and limitations

Abstract

Concern regarding the environmental impact of healthcare provision is now accompanied by a legal commitment for the NHS to align itself with national emissions targets. Meanwhile, the academic literature increasingly features environmental impact assessments focused on healthcare products, processes and systems. However, the current evidence base contains significant methodological heterogeneity, and the healthcare context demands that particular considerations are made when interpreting the findings from these studies. In this article, we consider the role environmental accounting methodologies can play in the effort to achieve environmental sustainability in healthcare; their utility and limitations.