The Spanish Society of General Practitioners and Family Physicians (SEMG) and the Medical Alliance for Planetary Health (AMESAP) have jointly developed two tools aimed at primary care professionals. On one hand, it is a Decalogue on sustainability and, on the other, a document with 12 TIPS on sustainability for family doctors, which provide both a framework and practical guidelines for incorporating sustainability into daily clinical activity.
The Decalogue on sustainability includes ten key principles to advance towards a more efficient, fair, and environmentally respectful healthcare system. It includes aspects such as the prevention and promotion of health, the responsible use of available resources, the adequacy of diagnostic tests and treatments, the reduction of the environmental footprint of healthcare centers, the prudent use of digitalization and telemedicine, attention to the social and environmental determinants of health, and the promotion of professional leadership in sustainability.
For its part, the 12 TIPS on sustainability for family doctors translate these general principles into concrete actions in the consultation. Among the proposals are to prescribe only what is strictly necessary and for the appropriate time, prioritize therapeutic alternatives with lower environmental impact when they present clinical equivalence, reduce tests of little value, reinforce healthy lifestyles, resort to non-presential consultations when appropriate, optimize the use of disposable materials, and apply deprescription systematically.
Additionally, it is proposed to strengthen patient health education to prevent overuse of the system, improve the quality of referrals, and avoid unnecessarily duplicated hospital follow-ups. The text also emphasizes the importance of adapting therapeutic plans to the reality of each person, thereby incorporating the social dimension of sustainability.
This proposal aligns with the objectives of AMESAP, an initiative promoted by the Medical Professional Organization (OMC), aimed at raising awareness about the impact of climate change on health and advancing the decarbonization of the healthcare system from a One Health perspective.