Articles written by Deirdre C. Kelleher
Volume 78 Number 02
Reduce Your Reliance on Single-use Plastic
While the health impacts of microplastics are largely unknown, their prevalence continues to increase. some individual and institutional strategies for (safely) cutting back on their usage during your anesthetic.
Read the articleVolume 78 Number 1
Our Power, Our Planet
Happy Earth Month! This spring’s theme–”Our Power, Our Planet”—is a repeat from last year. But this year’s focus is less on specific energy practices and more on highlighting our power as individuals and a collective to make a difference in the world. There is also an emphasis shift from awareness to action.
Read the articleVolume 77 Number 4
Keeping Patients Warm in the Winter
As the temperature drops outside, let’s think about how to sustainably keep our patients warm in the OR or procedural suite.
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Phasing Out Desflurane at Three New York State Institutions
Over the past decade, there has been movement towards eliminating desflurane usage both nationally and internationally, with Scotland, England, and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador officially phasing out the agent. This article chronicles the journey of three institutions in New York State as they phased out desflurane from their formularies—and provides guidance to other NYS hospitals looking to do the same.
Read the articleVolume 77 Number 1
Sustainability Tip of the Quarter
Reducing the environmental impact of perioperative care can feel like an overwhelming task, as there are opportunities for improvement almost everywhere you look. Rather than trying to fix everything at once, choose instead to focus on one area of waste at a time. High-impact areas include supply waste reduction, oxygen conservation, proper waste sorting, and […]
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Sustainability Tip of the Quarter
Energy use constitutes approximately 12% of total global healthcare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 15% of total U.S. healthcare GHG emissions, with more of these emissions stemming from energy-intensive ORs and ICUs. Reducing our energy-related emissions requires thoughtful use of current products and proactive changes system-wide.
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Sustainability Tip of the Quarter
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and ozone destroyer. Due to the large volume of gas needed to achieve clinical effects, N2O’s negative environmental impact approaches that of desflurane.1 INDIVIDUAL Reduce or eliminate N2O use: INSTITUTIONAL Decommission the central N2O pipe system: Want to learn more? Submit your name and email here or […]
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How We Did It: Decommissioning Central Nitrous Oxide Pipes at Three Institutions
Nicholas Gadsden, M.D., Ellen Brand, M.D., Vittoria Arslan-Carlon, M.D., and Deirdre C. Kelleher, M.D. Anesthetic gases are responsible for up to 50% of perioperative emissions, contributing substantially to hospital scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (direct emissions).1 To decrease the environmental impact of anesthesia practice, the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA) encourages all […]
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