Lowering Emissions in Healthcare

Charting Pediatrics

Our medical community is committed to providing excellent patient care, and it’s also our duty for that care to extend to our planet. Climate change is an increasingly important global health issue where children are the most vulnerable to adverse health outcomes. One major contributing factor to climate change in medicine is the use of nitrous oxide in spaces like the operating room and outpatient clinics. Efforts are underway in hospitals across the country to decrease our environmental impact, including at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

To explore the exciting new project happening at Children’s Colorado and to discuss the environmental impacts on a global scale, we are joined by two experts. Tom Majcher, DO, is the Chief of Anesthesiology at Children’s Colorado, as well as a professor of pediatrics and clinical practice for anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Diane Gordon, MD, specializes in anesthesiology at Children’s Colorado and is an associate professor of pediatric anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• How nitrous oxide is currently used in medical settings
• The damage it does on the environment
• What efforts are underway to reduce its impact
• How to keep the same standard of care with new alternatives
• The importance of this transition in the operating room

For more information on Children’s Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.