Cutting-edge digital health tools putting plastic, silicon and steel to the sword

As sustainability shifts from the sidelines to the heart of health care, the Australian Digital Health Agency’s Chief Digital Officer sets out some sustainable advantages of digital health tools — with a supporting case study.

In the early days of modern medicine, reusable tools such as glass syringes, metal forceps and sterilised surgical kits were the backbone of hospital care. But as medical technology advanced, so did the complexity of instruments, and the challenge of cleaning them grew. By the 1960s, ‘fantastic plastic’ was king — fuelling a throwaway culture from groceries to gadgets. And while in health care and hospitals, plastics brought huge clinical safety benefits, swapping reusable tools for sterile, single-use equipment, the environmental cost barely registered.

Today, a new challenge is being faced: balancing safety with sustainability. Medical waste, much of it single-use plastics, has become a significant environmental burden. But rather than returning to the past, health care is turning to digital technologies to chart a smarter, cleaner future.

Digital health tools reduce waste and duplication

Health care saves lives but it also leaves a mark on the planet. Globally, the sector is responsible for around 4.4% of greenhouse gas emissions¹, and in Australia, that figure climbs to 7%, with hospitals and pharmaceuticals major contributors. We need to rethink how care is delivered. That’s where digital health steps in as a transformative force in reducing health care’s environmental impact.

Tools like My Health Record are central to the ongoing digital health transformation. This secure national system consolidates Australians’ key health information online and in their hands through the my health app. The system also serves as a clinical resource, enabling decision-making and effective communication with multidisciplinary healthcare teams, often reducing unnecessary duplication. As at September 2025², more than 1.9 billion documents have been uploaded to My Health Record by consumers or healthcare professionals. 

The impact of My Health Record on clinical efficiency and environmental sustainability is being further powered by the federal government’s Sharing by Default legislation, passed by Parliament earlier this year. When healthcare providers have access to imaging or pathology results that have been requested by another provider, they can avoid ordering repeat tests. This will reduce the need for single-use diagnostic kits, specimen containers, contrast agents and associated packaging.

For Australians, it means faster access to test results, fewer unnecessary appointments, and improved continuity of care, while helping them avoid the impost of additional travel for unnecessary repeat testing.

A prescription for less paper and plastic 

Digital scripts are an effective alternative to paper scripts, reducing errors, clutter, and the need for plastic sleeves or couriered documents. It also reduces the risk of losing them which may require a repeat visit to the doctor. People across Australia are embracing the technology, and as at August 2025, more than 399 million electronic prescriptions have been issued by doctors and nurse practitioners since the program launched in May 2020, with uptake continuing to grow.

In hospital outpatient departments, especially high-volume areas like oncology where patients may require complex, multi-drug regimens, digital prescribing ensures that medication orders are accurate, timely and traceable, while also reducing paperwork. In addition, electronic prescriptions can reduce the need for physical storage and shredding, further lowering the hospital’s carbon footprint.

In addition to the benefits derived from electronic prescribing, real-time access to dispense information in medication histories via My Health Record enables healthcare providers to check for allergies, interactions and duplicate therapies before prescribing — reducing adverse drug events and improving outcomes.

Making the right call for cleaner care

Telehealth can help to drive sustainability by replacing in-person visits with virtual consultations, reducing transport-related emissions and potentially reshaping how care is delivered. In hospital settings, it has the ability to enable routine follow-ups, medication reviews, mental health check-ins, and chronic disease management to be conducted remotely, often minimising the need for physical infrastructure and single-use medical consumables.

A 2023 Department of Health and Aged Care report³ highlighted the environmental impact of telehealth at Royal Melbourne Hospital, which facilitated over 83,000 outpatient appointments between January and November 2022. This initiative prevented about 12 million kilometres of travel, saved approximately 2.4 million kilograms of carbon emissions and avoided the disposal of about 100,000 N95 masks — critical resources during the Covid pandemic.

The environmental ripple effect of virtual care extends beyond metropolitan hospitals. Fewer patient journeys mean reduced fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions. In regional and remote areas, where patients may travel hundreds of kilometres for specialist care, telehealth offers a sustainable alternative that can overcome the tyranny of distance, recognising though that technological advances must also be balanced with traditional models of care to meet the needs of all Australians.

AI and smarter systems for sustainability

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources⁴ reports that the healthcare sector, along with retail trade and education, is leading the way on adoption of artificial intelligence in Australia, with services and hospitality sectors close behind.

In a hospital setting, AI is rapidly reshaping how care is delivered — and how resources are managed. By predicting lab results, AI can flag redundant tests before they happen, cutting down on waste and streamlining care.

A Monash University study published last year found AI is also driving a shift toward sustainable healthcare interventions. In oncology, AI-powered decision support tools are helping doctors avoid unnecessary treatments, conserving precious resources while minimising waste.

Operationally, hospitals are using AI to optimise inventory and supply chains. Keeping track of medical supplies is vital for continuity of care. For example, NSW Health uses AI tools to predict supply shortages and monitor inventory levels across its hospitals.

Connected care powers a cleaner future

In modern health settings, sustainability is shifting from the sidelines to the heart of health care. Doctors and nurses are increasingly aware of the environmental footprint of their decisions. In operating theatres, AI algorithms, advanced computing and digital precision complement the enduring role of more traditional surgical tools, reflecting a broader spectrum of care.

The conversation is expanding from “what do we need to heal people?” to “how can we heal both people and the planet?” What began as a shift from steel to plastic has evolved into a reimagining of modern-day medicine, where the future of care is as much about bytes as it is about bandages.

Finally, with the future of medicine strongly linked to data, digital platforms like My Health Record cut waste at the source. Every avoided test and virtual consultation create a better, safer, more sustainable healthcare system.

*Peter O’Halloran, Chief Digital Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency

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Author spotlight

Peter O’Halloran became Chief Digital Officer of the Australian Digital Health Agency in February 2023, leading the national digital health ecosystem, products, and standards. He represents Australia on the Global Digital Health Partnership and SNOMED International General Assembly, and co-chairs the GDHP Evidence and Evaluation Work Stream. With a public service career spanning since 2009, Peter has held senior digital leadership roles across ACT Health, the National Blood Authority, and the NHMRC. He was named Technology Leader of the Year 2024 by itnews for his contributions to digital health innovation. Peter is also a Fellow of multiple professional bodies, including the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and the Institute of Managers and Leaders.

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A supportive case study

Healthdirect launches tool to measure environmental impact of virtual care

As climate change reshapes the future of health care, Healthdirect Australia, the national virtual public health information service, is helping redefine what responsible care looks like — digitally, sustainably and at scale.

In 2023, Healthdirect partnered with the University of Sydney’s Sustainability Capstone program to research methods for measuring virtual health emissions. The output of this work has since evolved in partnership with representatives from across the jurisdictions to develop the Virtual Health Emissions Measurement (VHEM) framework and report,⁵ a pioneering tool that calculates the carbon savings of virtual consultations. The findings from this year’s report are compelling. On average, every time a caller planning to visit an ED is safely triaged through Healthdirect’s virtual care service, around 10kg of carbon emissions (or CO₂e) are kept out of the atmosphere.

The model suggests, based on published literature, that a 5–10 minute video consultation produces an estimated 0.04 kg CO₂e (based on the energy consumption of the caller and provider devices, and the data centre infrastructure to deliver the call). Compared to traditional in-person care pathways, the report shows high variation across different geographic regions of Australia due to differences in travel distances, with an overall national average of:

• GP visits generate 4.97 kg CO₂e
• ED visits (non-ambulatory) emit 10.51 kg CO₂e
• Ambulance transport spikes at 12.71 kg CO₂e
   

Healthdirect CEO Bettina McMahon says these numbers highlight the enormous potential of virtual care to reduce health care’s environmental footprint.

“Virtual care isn’t just about convenience — it’s a real force for climate action,” McMahon said.

“Our tool shows how digital health can drastically reduce emissions by avoiding unnecessary travel and supply chain impacts, allowing health services to confidently transition to a low-carbon future.

“We now have the evidence to show that virtual health services are a critical component of sustainable healthcare systems, delivering high-quality care with significantly lower environmental costs.”

Healthdirect CEO Bettina McMahon. (Image: supplied)

Healthdirect’s carbon emissions tool shows its virtual care services in 2024 helped prevent an estimated 1.85 kilotonnes of CO₂ — equivalent to taking 925 cars off the road for a year.

Every virtual appointment facilitated by organisations such as Healthdirect is a step towards a health system that is more sustainable, smarter, more efficient and kinder to the planet.

^{1 Usher K, Williams J, Jackson D. The potential of virtual healthcare technologies to reduce healthcare services’ carbon footprint. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1394095. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1394095}

^{2 My Health Record Statistics. Australian Digital Health Agency; 2025. Accessed 18 November, 2025. https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/my-health-record/statistics}

^{3 National Health and Climate Strategy. Visual screen version. Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Health and Aged Care); 2023. Accessed 18 November, 2025. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/national-health-and-climate-strategy.pdf}

^{4 AI adoption in Australian businesses for 2025 Q1. Department of Industry Science and Resources; 2025. Accessed 18 November, 2025. https://www.industry.gov.au/news/ai-adoption-australian-businesses-2025-q1}

^{5 Virtual Health Service Emissions Measurement: A framework and tools to support the transition to sustainable healthcare delivery — Version 2. Healthdirect Australia; 2025. Accessed 18 November, 2025. https://media.healthdirect.org.au/publications/Healthdirect-Australia-Virtual-Health-Emissions-Report.pdf}

Top image credit: iStock.com/zorazhuang