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Towards NHS Zero: greener gastroenterology and the impact of virtual clinics on carbon emissions and patient outcomes. A multisite, observational, cross-sectional study

King, J; Poo, SX; El-Sayed, A; Kabir, M; Hiner, G; Olabinan, O; Colwill, M; ... Hayee, B; + view all (2023) Towards NHS Zero: greener gastroenterology and the impact of virtual clinics on carbon emissions and patient outcomes. A multisite, observational, cross-sectional study. Frontline Gastroenterology , 14 (4) pp. 287-294. 10.1136/flgastro-2022-102215. Green open access

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The National Health Service (NHS) produces more carbon emissions than any public sector organisation in England. In 2020, it became the first health service worldwide to commit to becoming carbon net zero, the same year as the COVID-19 pandemic forced healthcare systems globally to rapidly adapt service delivery. As part of this, outpatient appointments became largely remote. Although the environmental benefit of this change may seem intuitive the impact on patient outcomes must remain a priority. Previous studies have evaluated the impact of telemedicine on emission reduction and patient outcomes but never before in the gastroenterology outpatient setting. METHOD: 2140 appointments from general gastroenterology clinics across 11 Trusts were retrospectively analysed prior to and during the pandemic. 100 consecutive appointments during two periods of time, from 1 June 2019 (prepandemic) to 1 June 2020 (during the pandemic), were used. Patients were telephoned to confirm the mode of transport used to attend their appointment and electronic patient records reviewed to assess did-not-attend (DNA) rates, 90-day admission rates and 90-day mortality rates. RESULTS: Remote consultations greatly reduced the carbon emissions associated with each appointment. Although more patients DNA their remote consultations and doctors more frequently requested follow-up blood tests when reviewing patients face-to-face, there was no significant difference in patient 90-day admissions or mortality when consultations were remote. CONCLUSION: Remote consultations greatly reduced the carbon emissions associated with each appointment. Although more patients DNA their remote consultations and doctors more frequently requested follow-up blood tests when reviewing patients face-to-face, there was no significant difference in patient 90-day admissions or mortality when consultations were remote.

Type: Article
Title: Towards NHS Zero: greener gastroenterology and the impact of virtual clinics on carbon emissions and patient outcomes. A multisite, observational, cross-sectional study
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1136/flgastro-2022-102215
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2022-102215
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci > Department of Targeted Intervention
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10165113
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