Ontario Health’s Quality Rounds Ontario session on: A Greener Approach to Surgical Care occurred on May 8th from 12-1 p.m.
The recording is now available.
Canada’s health care system contributes nearly 5% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing the aviation industry. Operating rooms, among the most energy-intensive hospital areas, offer major opportunities for emissions reduction, particularly by eliminating high-impact anesthetic gases like desflurane. A study found that using desflurane for seven hours equates to driving 1920 km, compared to just 40 km with sevoflurane.
This session provided an overview of Ontario Health’s "Cut the Carbon: Reducing Surgical Waste Campaign" and explored the critical intersection of healthcare sustainability and quality improvement, showcasing strategies to minimize surgical waste while enhancing patient-centered care.
Speakers:
- Dr. Timothy Jackson, Ontario Surgical Quality Improvement Network (ONSQIN) Clinical Lead
- Dr. David Smith, General Surgeon, North York General Hospital
- Moderated by: Dr. David Kaplan, Vice President, Quality, Ontario Health
At the conclusion of this learning activity, participants will:
- Better understand the compelling case for a greener operating room, emphasizing sustainability's role in improving outcomes and reducing healthcare's environmental footprint
- Learn about innovative initiatives and results from the “Cut the Carbon: Reducing Surgical Waste Campaign” and how your organization can adopt similar practices.
- Become familiar with organizations such as Creating a Sustainable Canadian Health System in a Climate Crisis (CASCADES) and Partners for Environmental Action by Clinicians and Healthcare facilities (PEACH) who have developed toolkits and getting started guides for hospitals
- Be able to apply actionable steps toward fostering sustainable care in your day-to-day work, from reducing anesthetic gas usage to promoting reusables and waste audits.
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