Skip to main content

Table 1 Tiers and domains: description, sources and examples

From: What is the carbon footprint of primary care practices? A retrospective life-cycle analysis in Switzerland

LCA Tiers

Domain

Number of items listed

Examples of items

Type

Data sources

1

Medical equipment

39

Stethoscope, thermometer, sphygmomanometer, scales, examination bed, needle, syringe, flashlight, saturometer, otoscope, ECG and x-ray devices

Medical

Practice inventory

1

Non-medical equipment

20

Computer, printer, desk, chair, table

Support

Practice inventory

1

Medical consumables

57

Bandage, compress, disinfectant, gloves, mask, tongue depressor, scalpel, swab test

Medical

Invoicing and billing

1

Non-medical consumables

15

Ink, toner, battery, paper, paper towels, plastic cups

Support

Invoicing and billing

1

Waste

 

General (non-recyclable) waste, paper, plastic, glass, hazardous waste

Support

Invoicing and billing, staff observation

1

Staff mobility

 

Number of staff, mode of transportation, time and distance to the practice or to training place

Support

Survey

2

Patient mobility

 

Mode of transportation, time and distance to the practice

Support

Survey

3

Courier mobility

 

Means of transport, journey type, location of dispatch centre

Medical

Invoicing and billing

1

Internal laboratory analyses

 

Equipment characteristics, usage patterns, number and types of analyses

Medical

Practice inventory, invoicing and billing

3

External laboratory analyses

 

Number and types of analyses, details of external laboratories commissioned

Medical

Invoicing and billing

1

Infrastructure

 

Surface area, date of founding, heating-system; type and consumption, running water consumption

Support

Invoicing and billing

1

Electricity

 

Electricity consumption and source (renewable or not), included energy consumption of in-house computer server, and x-ray device if present

Support

Invoicing and billing

  1. Note: LCA : Lifecycle analysis
  2. Tier 1: Practice activities GHG emission
  3. Tier 2: Patient transport GHG emission
  4. Tier 3: External stakeholder activities