When a urologist performs a procedure, from a cystoscopy to a prostatectomy, their contribution to climate change is likely not in the front of mind.European Association of Urology 2024 Annual Meeting
Operating rooms produce one third of all solid waste from hospitals, according to Leliveld-Kors. She said an effort in Europe, known as the, is aiming"to reduce climate change and environmental degradation throughout the economy, including in healthcare, to reduce net emission of greenhouse gasses by 2050."
The use of telemedicine can help urologists cut down on their carbon footprint, according to Stacy Loeb, MD, a sustainability researcher and a professor in the Department of Urology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. Loeb citedby researchers from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles that showed telemedicine consistently reduced greenhouse gas emissions.