Like Desflurane? Let's Refrain!
Care Process & Redesign
Environmental Sustainability
National University Health System Quality Improvement
National University Health System
31 March 2025
Reduce the use of desflurane to support environmental sustainability by loweing carbon emissions, while also achieving. The NUH Department of Anaesthesia successfully demonstrated that reducing desflurane use is both environmentally and financially.
Year Submitted: 2024
Published Date: 31 March 2025
Tags: Environmental Sustainability, CO2 Waste, Care Process ＆ Redesign, Productivity, Cost Saving
About this Content
Aims
Reduce the use of desflurane to support environmental sustainability by loweing carbon emissions, while also achieving financial savings through reduced anaesthetic costs
Background
Anaesthetic gases contribute to 5% of a hospitals carbon footprint, and make up the majority of healthcare's scope 1 emissions.
Methods
Through staff education, NUH and AH reduced their use of desflurane by over 95% and 100% respectively, saving both carbon and costs.
Results
Refer project attachment
Conclusion
The NUH Department of Anaesthesia successfully demonstrated that reducing desflurane use is both environmentally and financially beneficial without compromising patient care.
Lessons Learnt
Visual reminders, such as stickers on anaesthetic machines, effectively raised staff awareness of the environmental and financial impact of desflurane use. Highlighting per-hour comparisons with lower-carbon alternatives helped promote more sustainable and cost-conscious choices.
Keywords
General Anaesthesia, Operating Theatre, Scope 1 Emission, Eco-Friendly
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National University Health System |
Organization(s) Involved | National University Hospital, Alexandra Hospital |
Platform(s) | National University Health System Quality Improvement |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Medical, Pharmacy |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Anaesthesiology |
Project Lead(s) | Poh Pei Kee |
Project Member(s) | Ang King Sin |
Connect with this contributor!
Audrey Tan - audrey_mn_tan@nuhs.edu.sg