Why Going Online is Good For You And The Planet

Environmental consciousness is a real and urgent concern for all of us, yet we also need to go about our daily lives. Making choices that have as little impact without reducing the quality of the service or goods we receive is challenging. Whilst healthcare is no exception, online services are demonstrating that they can equal face to face services and in many cases are having better outcomes.

Old Buildings and New Ideas

With a substantial carbon footprint, healthcare cannot be viewed as a green sector. Stemming from the physical infrastructure of its buildings, many of which are old and poorly maintained especially in the NHS. Add to this the cost implications of energy-intensive practices, traditional healthcare systems struggle to achieve carbon reduction targets. 

Online and telehealth services offer an olive branch of green hope to the sector. This innovative approach to healthcare is revolutionising how patients access care by significantly reducing the carbon footprint compared to in-person treatments. 

Cutting Down on Travel

One of the most prominent ways online care contributes to environmental sustainability is by eliminating the need for patient travel. Looking at our sector, traditional physiotherapy settings, usually require their patients and staff to commute to clinics, sometimes covering considerable distances. This travel leads to a significant release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, adding to our already overloaded carbon footprint.

Online physiotherapy completely eliminates this need. Patients can now receive expert care from the comfort of their own homes. This not only saves time and reduces stress but also plays a crucial role in minimising carbon emissions. The reduction in travel-related pollution contributes to cleaner air and a healthier planet.

Striving For More

Traditional physiotherapy clinics typically require substantial energy consumption to maintain suitable environments for patient care. Heating, cooling, and lighting these facilities, along with the operation of various equipment, all contribute to high energy usage and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Online physiotherapy already offers a more energy-efficient alternative simply by removing all of the things we’ve already mentioned but we as a business we don’t want to stop there. We encourage our physios to think about their own personal set up’s at home. We recommend green energy suppliers, energy efficient devices and low voltage equipment. As a model our business is already one that uses less energy but we’re still committed to going further and have signed up to the net zero pledge.

What is Net Zero?

For the unavoidable energy we do consume we offset our carbon to the point where we are actually carbon negative. This means that a part of the price you pay goes towards offsetting more carbon than the actual appointment used. Giving you piece of mind that as a company we not only want to help heal you but also the planet we all live on. We partner with Ecologi to meet our sustainability goals as we think the work they do reflects our own values. We’re not aiming for Net Zero, we’re going to measure our carbon output over the next 12 months and then offset more than we produce. That way we can become Carbon Negative! A positive for the planet and us all. 

A Sustainable Future

If we are to have a sustainable future, every aspect of our lives needs to be evaluated for its environmental impact. Healthcare, as a vital part of our society, must embrace green alternatives. 

By choosing appropriate online services, individuals can actively participate in reducing their environmental impact. This innovative approach demonstrates that healthcare can be both patient-centric and planet-friendly. A combination that will undoubtedly become increasingly vital in the years to come.

Will you make the green choice that aims to see wellness for mankind and earth aligned?