2026/01/01 by Johan P. Mackenbach, Johan P Mackenbach, Jacqueline Zwaap +1
Decision Sciences · Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Climate Change and Health Impacts #Healthcare Facilities Design and Sustainability #demographic modeling and climate adaptation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0266462326103845
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/05/22 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/27
One of the ways in which healthcare's climate impact can be reduced is by taking greenhouse gas emissions into account when deciding which treatments are reimbursed and/or included in clinical guidelines. In a report for the Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sports in the Netherlands, we explored how this idea could be put into practice. We developed a set of two criteria: greenhouse gas emissions per patient (which can be compared to, for example, QALYs gained), and total amount of greenhouse gas emissions for all patients undergoing the intervention (which can be compared to, e.g., healthcare's remaining carbon budget). In the coming three years, the National Health Care Institute will use these criteria in an experimental setting, to gain practical experience and to assess whether there is sufficient support among policy makers, practitioners, and patients for taking into account climate impact regularly.