Combating climate change and the financial struggle of impoverished communities, Boston Medical Center Health System (BMCHS) has launched an unprecedented initiative named Clean Power Prescription. The pioneering program will authorize doctors to provide patients with energy bill credits, which promotes BMCHS’s sustainability efforts and dedication to serving their communities. According to the Boston Medical Center, previously red-lined districts such as Roxbury, Mattapan, and Dorchester have higher rates of asthma and are increasingly susceptible to escalating climate change impacts. These areas also face high poverty levels, often leading to increased risk of utility shutoffs which can worsen pre-existing medical conditions and perpetuate poverty cycles.
Massachusetts law permits doctors in the state to formally address the medical importance of continuing utilities for a patient by writing to the patient's utility provider. Boston Medical Centre's Dr. Anna Goldman advocates for short-term interventions, yet acknowledges the need for more impactful policy interventions to address broad, long-term issues such as fossil fuel reliance and its contributions to climate change. Meeting this need, last year, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 was passed on a federal level and the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program was introduced in Massachusetts, both providing financial incentives for the use of solar power.
A process known as "virtual net metering" drives the Clean Power Prescription program. The owner of a solar array, in this instance, BMCHS, can dedicate energy credits to a series, which are the homes of BMC patients, thereby decreasing their energy costs. The program's trial phase seeks to enlist 80 homes of existing patients in the BMCHS Complex Care Management program offering them an energy bill credit of approximately $50 per month – almost 30% off the average Bostonite's annual electricity bill according to the HealthCity by the Boston Medical Center .
Aspirationally seeking to increase the program's reach, BMCHS is encouraging other Boston-area businesses to enroll in Clean Power Prescription. They aim to invite them to donate their renewable energy credits to current and future patients. Federal and state incentives may provide financial support while also contributing to safeguarding the environment and society's welfare. Biggio suggests that other property owners should consider participating in similar endeavors due to their potential benefits.
Embodying a dual passion for patient care and environmental conservation, the Clean Power Prescription program illustrates BMCHS’s commitment to addressing both financial and climate-related issues for vulnerable, low-income communities. According to a report by HealthCity, "this is a chance to illustrate what health systems can do do not only give back to our communities, but lead the charge on a renewable future," says Dr. Goldman. If successful, the program presents an opportunity for other health systems to commit to clean energy initiatives, consequently benefiting both patients and the planet.
