Climate change is causing extreme weather events as well as chronic environmental changes that impact health across the globe. Health professionals are currently providing care for patients harmed by climate change, yet most of them have received no formal education or training in this area. This presentation will review the evidence supporting the link between climate change and declining health and provide actionable clinical strategies and resources.
Learning objectives:
- List examples of the most common health outcomes associated with climate events and long-term exposures.
- Recall basic discharge planning principles for patients affected by climate change, such as ensuring access to medications and follow-up care in the context of environmental disruptions, and anticipatory planning for extreme weather events/climate emergencies.
- Provide examples of individual climate mitigation actions and health co-benefits
- Identify strategies that can be incorporated within healthcare systems to promote environmental sustainability
Heather Whelan is a hospitalist, medical educator, and a former Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She has collaborated on creating educational materials on climate and health with the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education and the Society of General Internal Medicine. She is committed to advancing education in climate and health and supporting healthcare trainees, professionals, and community members to take action within their sphere to build resilience and mitigate health harms in the face of climate change.
Katherine Gruenberg is an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy and Infectious Diseases Pharmacist at UCSF Health. She is passionate about advancing sustainable pharmacy practices and integrates this focus into her teaching within the UCSF School of Pharmacy curriculum.