Speech Pathology and Sustainability
Sustainable healthcare refers to addressing the current population’s health needs without compromising the health of future generations. It acknowledges that human health and the environment are interconnected and cannot be considered separately.
The ways in which healthcare services operate can directly impact the health of the planet — and vice versa. For example, extreme weather events, air quality, and food production all influence human health and the capacity and resilience of health systems. Excess heat can cause cumulative physiological stress, extreme weather can affect mental and psychosocial health, and air pollution contributes to respiratory disease.
Core Principles of Sustainable Healthcare
PREVENTION: A focus on health promotion and prevention empowers individuals to take an active role in their health and wellbeing. This approach supports people to live healthily for as long as possible, reducing the need for high-intensity medical interventions and conserving healthcare resources.
PATHWAYS: Simplifying and streamlining access routes to healthcare providers ensures that conditions are identified and managed early. This helps individuals reach the right services at the right time, avoiding duplication of procedures and inefficient use of resources.
PRACTICE: Sustainable practice involves reducing waste, opting for environmentally friendly products, reusing equipment where appropriate, and making responsible consumption choices.
How can we promote these principles within Speech Pathology, with note to the telehealth?
Empower clients: Encourage clients to have a greater role in managing their own health through population/advocacy activities and within individual client care, assuring informed care and client choice are forefront.
Make every contact count: Incorporating ‘healthy conversations’ as they arise. Planting a seed or signposting individuals to information regarding lifestyle choices e.g. relating to smoking cessation, diet, hydration, oral health, social connection opportunities etc. Encourage clients to foster relationships with their GP, pharmacist etc.
Working collaboratively: As part of a multidisciplinary team and networking with others, particularly with consideration to dysphagia and positioning, self-feeding and nutrition/hydration , to optimise care needs, and lessen chance of hospital admission, and lessen antibiotic reliance.
Supporting the clinical decision making of other Speech Pathologists: Considerations by healthcare professionals in selection and targeting of interventions and by raising awareness of pathways reduces waste and energy use, repeat procedures and associated environmental impacts. Assure you have a clear clinical rationale for your videofluoroscopy and imaging requests/referrals.
Improve access through telehealth: Ensuring access to Speech Pathology services in rural and remote populations via telehealth supports early identification and management of swallowing and communication needs and their impacts to an individuals everyday activities, participation in society and personal wellbeing.
Reduce carbon footprint: Remote service delivery supports early identification and management of swallowing and communication needs, helping clients maintain participation and wellbeing while reducing travel emissions.
Digitise documentation: Use online systems for assessments, therapy resources, and record keeping to reduce paper usage. Printing should be an exception, not the norm.
Review PPE use: Only use personal protective equipment when infection risk is present. Telehealth mitigates unnecessary PPE use and related waste.
Reduce waste during dysphagia trials: Encourage clients and carers to prepare food trials via telehealth to minimise food waste and single-use plastics. Within in-person services, consider reusable crockery and composting options.
Recycle responsibly: Prioritise recycling paper, batteries, ink cartridges, and other materials associated with administrative tasks.
Plan AAC trials carefully: Thoughtful selection and team collaboration before providing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices prevents equipment from remaining unused.
Be mindful of energy consumption: Turn off lights, computers, and other appliances when not in use to conserve energy.
This is not an exhaustive list, and active mindfulness and regular conversations within this area are imperative for all healthcare providers, including Speech Pathologists, to facilitate current and future public and planet health.
we all have a role to play
Sustainability in healthcare is not limited to environmental considerations, it also encompasses the sustainability of our services, systems, and professional practices. As Speech Pathologists, we play a vital role in fostering sustainable models of care by promoting prevention, empowering clients, and adopting efficient and ethical practices.
Embedding sustainability into speech pathology ensures that our services remain accessible, equitable, and resilient in the face of changing global challenges. Through telehealth, innovation, collaboration, and reflection, we can reduce our environmental footprint while enhancing the quality of care we deliver.
Ultimately, sustainable speech pathology practice is about creating balance, supporting the health of our clients today while protecting the health of communities and the planet for generations to come.
