Standards for Official Statistics on Climate-Health Interactions (SOSCHI): Healthcare systems and facilities: introduction

Healthcare systems include a broad range of activities from public health initiatives to services, covering both private and public sectors. Globally, healthcare systems are under significant pressure which are further compounded by the effects of climate change. These can be direct impacts to infrastructure as well as disruption to medical supply and service delivery. The ability of facilities to function, particularly in vulnerable regions, during extreme conditions such as flooding, heatwaves and storms determines the effectiveness of these systems in mitigating the impacts of climate change on public health. This topic area follows a different approach to the wider framework, aiming to use qualitative methods to assess the impact on health workforce, infrastructure and technology as well as service delivery. This is the Topic Introduction document for healthcare systems and facilities. Correction notice: Authors and contact details updated on 21/03/2025. Please refer to document version 1.1.