AI Article Synopsis

  • The ESICM Green Paper addresses the importance of environmental sustainability in intensive care units (ICUs) and proposes actionable strategies to reduce their ecological impact.
  • A task force of experts assessed key areas for improvement and refined their strategies through a series of meetings and drafts.
  • The paper emphasizes the need for energy efficiency, waste reduction, and education among healthcare professionals to ensure that high-quality patient care and sustainability go hand in hand.

Article Abstract

Purpose: The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) Green Paper aims to address the challenge of environmental sustainability in intensive care and proposes actionable strategies for integrating sustainability into intensive care unit (ICU) stakeholder actions.

Methods: The ESICM Executive Committee appointed a task force of topic experts and ESICM committee representatives to develop the ESICM Green Paper. The task force convened biweekly from January to June 2024, identifying key domains for environmental sustainability and prioritizing actions. Drafts were iteratively refined and approved by the ESICM Executive Committee.

Results: Climate change will impact activities in intensive care in many ways, but also the impact of ICU activities on the environment is considerable; drivers for this include extensive resource use and waste generation in ICUs from energy consumption, use of disposable items, and advanced therapies for critically ill patients. The ESICM Green Paper outlines a structured approach for ICUs to reduce their environmental impact, emphasizing energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable procurement. Furthermore, it endorses the need for awareness and education among healthcare professionals, integration of sustainability into research, and sustainable policies within scientific societies.

Conclusions: The ESICM Green Paper reviewed the relevance of climate change to intensive care and provided suggestions for clinical practice, research, education, and ESICM organizational domains. It underscores that reducing intensive care's ecological footprint can coexist with high-quality patient care. Promoting a resilient, responsible healthcare system is a joint responsibility of all ICU stakeholders.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11541358PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07662-7DOI Listing

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