The May 2025 report by Galen Growth, The Green Promise of Digital Health, explores how digital healthcare technologies are increasingly essential in making healthcare systems more sustainable. The report highlights the urgent need for transformation, as the healthcare sector contributes approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the shipping industry – with the U.S. alone responsible for 21% of that. Hospitals and inefficient care delivery are significant contributors to this footprint, and around 30% of healthcare expenditure is considered wasteful.
Source: HealthTech Alpha
Digital health technologies – such as telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, AI-driven diagnostics, and consumer health platforms – offer powerful tools to reduce this environmental impact. By reducing the need for travel, minimising in-person hospital visits, and streamlining care delivery, these innovations cut emissions and improve access to care.
Source: HealthTech Alpha
The report emphasizes the growing role of AI and predictive analytics in optimising healthcare operations. These tools can reduce resource waste, anticipate patient needs, and improve outcomes while also helping to decarbonise health systems. However, it also acknowledges the environmental cost of deploying advanced digital systems, especially high-energy-consuming AI models, and calls for mindful, efficient implementation.
Another promising area is consumer health technology, which enables individuals to take charge of their well-being through wearables, apps, and digital coaching. This shift from reactive to preventive care can reduce the clinical burden and help prevent avoidable emissions associated with overuse of medical services.
The report also highlights 250 early-stage digital health startups that exemplify the “Green Promise.” These ventures span key areas such as telemedicine, diagnostics, remote patient monitoring, health management systems, and consumer health.
Galen Growth concludes that digital health holds transformative potential for creating a low-impact, high-efficiency healthcare system – but only if it’s approached responsibly. To realize the full “Green Promise” of digital health, the sector must focus on smart implementation, cross-sector collaboration, and data-driven decisions.
To download the full report, visit here.
