Healthcare Workers Urge Health Systems to Address Climate Change

Solidifying the connection between healthcare and climate change, a survey by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that nearly 80% of clinicians in the United States believe that their hospitals must address climate change and consider its climate impact.

The survey, issued by Qualtrics between October 3, 2023, and October 19, 2023, to over 1,000 clinicians, included physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, primary care physicians, and healthcare specialists.

When asked whether they felt it was important that their organization plays a role in minimizing their environmental impact, 79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed.

Beyond looking at the role of their organization or health system, 75% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that it is essential for them to address climate change or minimize environmental impacts at work personally. Moreover, 82% felt they should address climate change and environmental impacts at home or outside work.

In addition to evaluating clinicians’ perspectives on the importance of addressing climate change, the survey also collected insight into how climate change mitigation strategies align with the healthcare organization’s mission.

Among participants responsible for organizational leadership, 84% noted that addressing climate issues is very or somewhat important to the organization’s mission. Although the percentage was slightly lower in clinicians who were not responsible for organizational leadership, a majority (74%) maintained that it was somewhat or imperative to the organization’s goals.

Other data gathered from the survey included insights into hospitals’ actions for addressing climate change, including reducing waste and energy consumption, evaluating the organization’s emissions footprint, setting emissions targets, and measuring and reporting emission reduction progress.

Although all of these insights emphasize how important climate-conscious policies are to healthcare workers, the survey goes one step further by quantifying the extent to which climate policies may impact where employees work.

For example, 62% of respondents noted that an organization’s climate change policy would greatly or somewhat impact where they apply to work.

The US healthcare sector contributes to approximately 8.5% of greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are cyclical because as emissions impact the environment, they gradually worsen human health and require more healthcare resources.

With that in mind, more healthcare leaders and members are prioritizing climate-conscious policies and solutions.