JAMA Oncology: Assessing the Environmental and Downstream Human Health Impacts of Decentralizing Cancer Care
This study assessed potential reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and downstream health harms associated with telemedicine and fully decentralized cancer care. In this cohort study including 123 890 patients seen over 1.6 million visit days, compared with an in-person–preferred care model, a telemedicine preferred–care model reduced per–visit day emissions by 81.3%. In a national counterfactual model comparing usual vs decentralized care (telemedicine as well as local site care when possible), there was a 33.1% reduction in emissions, which corresponded to an annual emissions reduction of 75.3 million kilograms of CO2 equivalents, or 15.0 to 47.7 disability-adjusted life-years.