The Triple Bottom Line and Stabilization Wedges: A Framework for Perioperative Sustainability

We present a narrative review of environmental sustainability aimed at perioperative clinicians. The review will familiarize readers with the triple bottom line framework, which aims to align the goals of delivering high-quality patient care, promoting environmental sustainability, and improving the financial position of health care organizations. We introduce the stabilization wedges model for climate change action adopted for the perioperative setting and discuss areas in which perioperative leaders can make sustainable choices. The goal of this review is to increase awareness among perioperative physicians of the environmental impacts of surgical and anesthetic care, promote engagement with sustainability efforts as a topic of professional concern for our specialty, and inspire new research in perioperative environmental sustainability.

Automated summary

This is a narrative review about environmental sustainability for perioperative clinicians. It introduces the triple bottom line framework and the stabilization wedges model for climate change action in the perioperative setting. The goal of this review is to increase awareness among perioperative physicians of the environmental impacts of surgical and anesthetic care, promote sustainability efforts as a topic of professional concern, and inspire new research in perioperative environmental sustainability.