The American Telemedicine Association launched a task force to investigate sustainable virtual care practices.
The two-year task force, led by ATA President Peter Yellowlees, MD, will encourage ATA members to reduce fossil fuel use and carbon dioxide production by decreasing travel and demonstrate how telemedicine creates more environmentally sustainable healthcare practices.
Another goal of the initiative is to show how telemedicine can help providers respond to health crises influenced by climate-change-related events, such as global warming, disasters and the spread of infectious diseases.
ATA is recruiting volunteers for two project teams — one to design an energy-efficient medical practice and another to develop a portable urgent virtual care system.
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