The Heat Is On—and Some of Your Patients Feel It More Than Others

It’s only the second week of summer, but already some parts of the country are experiencing temperatures we don’t usually see until the “dog days” of August. Virginia, for one, was seeing record temperatures for this time of year, with extended periods of 90 degrees and above predicted as reported by WFIR News Talk Radio. With that comes concerns from the commonwealth health department that emergency rooms will soon be hit with larger numbers of patients suffering the effects, including everything from minor complaints like heat rash to life-threatening heat stroke. Vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with breathing problems are especially at risk. Consider also that people are heading out on vacations and preparing outdoor celebrations for Independence Day. If the outlook in your area is looking particularly oppressive, ensure your staff is ready to accept patients suffering the effects. JUCM published a comprehensive article on this subject. Managing Heat Illness in Urgent Care is available in our archive right now.