Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare contributes approximately 4-5% of global CO₂ emissions, with hospitals ranking among the most energy-intensive institutions. In line with the WHO’s objective of achieving net-zero healthcare systems by 2050, there is increasing interest in reducing emissions from outpatient care. This study evaluates the potential reduction in transport-related energy use and emissions by converting 10-20% of psychiatric outpatient visits to remote consultations.
METHODS: Patient address data from a one-year period were extracted from psychiatric outpatient clinics. Using the Google Maps Distance Matrix API, the round-trip public transport distance and duration between each patient's home and the hospital were calculated. Emissions were estimated using EU average per-passenger-kilometre factors for public buses.To contextualize emissions, CO₂ output was translated into the number of trees required for annual sequestration, based on IPCC and FAO data (21.77 kg CO₂/year per mature tree).
RESULTS: A total of 3,908 patients were included in the analysis. The mean one-way distance traveled was 20.06 km (SD: 32.31), with a corresponding mean travel time of 56 minutes (SD: 74). The total travel-related emissions amounted to:

• 15.6 tonnes of CO₂ requiring 720 trees to offset annually,
• 78 grams of NOₓ approximately equivalent to operating a diesel generator indoors for 16 hours,
• 3 grams of PM₁₀ roughly comparable to passive exposure from 4 cigarettes in a closed room.

A 10-20% reduction in in-person visits could prevent up to 3.2 hours of diesel-equivalent NOₓ exposure and halve PM₁₀-related risks, while achieving the carbon sequestration equivalent of up to 144 additional trees annually.
CONCLUSIONS: Remote psychiatric consultations — when clinically appropriate and accepted by patients — represent a significant opportunity to reduce healthcare’s environmental footprint. Integrating digital care into mental health services supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDG 3,12, 13). Health policymakers should consider these benefits when developing environmentally sustainable service models.