Since the pandemic, telehealth has become an important tool for care delivery and one that commercial real estate needs to consider. But it could also be an important way for health-related CRE to reduce carbon emissions, according to a recent study in JAMA Oncology.

In general, telehealth can have a large and positive impact on CRE in terms of service delivery. Behavioral health provides an example. Between 2019 and 2022, telehealth visits increased by 1019.3% (about ten-fold). But in-person visits increased 2.2% each month, growing to 79.9% of pre-pandemic levels. Overall, mental health utilization was 38.8% higher than before the pandemic. Telehealth can help create efficiencies.

But another way CRE can benefit from telehealth is through greenhouse gas emission reduction, as a study in JAMA Oncology explains.