Physics World Weekly Podcast
Environmental sustainability: exploring the challenges for the medical physics community
Apr 25, 2024
In this engaging discussion, medical physicists Rob Chuter from the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Kari Tanderup from Aarhus University delve into the critical intersection of healthcare and environmental sustainability. They explore the significant carbon footprint of healthcare, particularly from radiotherapy and medical equipment. The conversation highlights the NHS's ambitious net zero goals, sustainable conference travel solutions, and the urgent need for proactive strategies against climate change's challenges to patient care. It's a hopeful look at the medical physics community's path toward sustainability.
31:55
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Quick takeaways
- The medical physics community is crucially addressing its environmental impact, specifically focusing on reducing healthcare-related carbon emissions from travel and equipment operation.
- Implementing strategies like hyperfractionated radiotherapy and creating localized treatment centers can significantly decrease patient travel emissions while maintaining health outcomes for patients.
Deep dives
Understanding Carbon Emissions in Medical Physics
Medical physics contributes to carbon emissions in various ways, including travel, electricity use, and equipment operation. For instance, it is reported that one in every 25 road miles in the UK is related to the NHS, which encompasses both patient and staff travel. In radiotherapy, a prevalent cancer treatment, the carbon footprint averages around 250 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per patient, with a significant portion attributed to patient travel, accounting for approximately 78 percent of the total emissions. These insights highlight the need for the medical physics profession to urgently address and minimize its environmental impact.
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