Joint society task force releases strategic plan on climate change

A task force of GIs from the four major GI societies – AGA, AASLD, ACG, and ASGE – has released a multisociety strategic plan outlining goals and milestones the GI specialty needs to achieve to reduce the environmental impact of the practice.

Key takeaway: As a procedure-intense subspecialty, gastroenterology, and in particular endoscopy, is a major contributor to health care’s carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. Endoscopy is the third largest generator of medical waste in a hospital (2 kg total waste per procedure) with most ending in landfills. With this strategic plan, the participating societies are committed to promoting and supporting a sustainable, high-quality GI practice.

The U.S. GI multisociety strategic plan, which has also been endorsed by 23 GI societies globally, is a collaborative effort that invites members to undertake initiatives to establish an environmentally sustainable, high-quality practice and promote planetary health. Each society will prioritize and adapt their initiatives in accordance with their individual societal goals. Some initiatives may be undertaken by a single society, whereas other objectives and initiatives may be approached jointly. It is a 5-year plan that covers seven major domains:

• Clinical setting.
• Education.
• Research.
• Society efforts.
• Intersociety efforts.
• Industry.
• Advocacy.

The plan was developed by the U.S. Multi-GI Society Task Force on Climate Change, which is composed of leading experts from AASLD, ACG, AGA, and ASGE.

For more information, view the full publication: GI Multisociety Strategic Plan on Environmental Sustainability, published in Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, HEPATOLOGY, and The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

A task force of GIs from the four major GI societies – AGA, AASLD, ACG, and ASGE – has released a multisociety strategic plan outlining goals and milestones the GI specialty needs to achieve to reduce the environmental impact of the practice.

Key takeaway: As a procedure-intense subspecialty, gastroenterology, and in particular endoscopy, is a major contributor to health care’s carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. Endoscopy is the third largest generator of medical waste in a hospital (2 kg total waste per procedure) with most ending in landfills. With this strategic plan, the participating societies are committed to promoting and supporting a sustainable, high-quality GI practice.

The U.S. GI multisociety strategic plan, which has also been endorsed by 23 GI societies globally, is a collaborative effort that invites members to undertake initiatives to establish an environmentally sustainable, high-quality practice and promote planetary health. Each society will prioritize and adapt their initiatives in accordance with their individual societal goals. Some initiatives may be undertaken by a single society, whereas other objectives and initiatives may be approached jointly. It is a 5-year plan that covers seven major domains:

• Clinical setting.
• Education.
• Research.
• Society efforts.
• Intersociety efforts.
• Industry.
• Advocacy.

The plan was developed by the U.S. Multi-GI Society Task Force on Climate Change, which is composed of leading experts from AASLD, ACG, AGA, and ASGE.

For more information, view the full publication: GI Multisociety Strategic Plan on Environmental Sustainability, published in Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, HEPATOLOGY, and The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

A task force of GIs from the four major GI societies – AGA, AASLD, ACG, and ASGE – has released a multisociety strategic plan outlining goals and milestones the GI specialty needs to achieve to reduce the environmental impact of the practice.

Key takeaway: As a procedure-intense subspecialty, gastroenterology, and in particular endoscopy, is a major contributor to health care’s carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. Endoscopy is the third largest generator of medical waste in a hospital (2 kg total waste per procedure) with most ending in landfills. With this strategic plan, the participating societies are committed to promoting and supporting a sustainable, high-quality GI practice.

The U.S. GI multisociety strategic plan, which has also been endorsed by 23 GI societies globally, is a collaborative effort that invites members to undertake initiatives to establish an environmentally sustainable, high-quality practice and promote planetary health. Each society will prioritize and adapt their initiatives in accordance with their individual societal goals. Some initiatives may be undertaken by a single society, whereas other objectives and initiatives may be approached jointly. It is a 5-year plan that covers seven major domains:

• Clinical setting.
• Education.
• Research.
• Society efforts.
• Intersociety efforts.
• Industry.
• Advocacy.

The plan was developed by the U.S. Multi-GI Society Task Force on Climate Change, which is composed of leading experts from AASLD, ACG, AGA, and ASGE.

For more information, view the full publication: GI Multisociety Strategic Plan on Environmental Sustainability, published in Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, HEPATOLOGY, and The American Journal of Gastroenterology.