Temperature extremes are associated with higher rates of missed primary care appointments, according to a study published online June 20 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Janet H. Fitzpatrick, M.D., from the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, and colleagues examined the associations between extreme temperature conditions and primary care utilization. Analysis included 1.05 million appointments among 91,580 adult patients seen at 13 outpatient clinics (2009 through 2019).
The researchers found that rates of missed appointments increased by 0.72 percent for every 1 degree decrease in daily maximum temperatures below 39 degrees Fahrenheit, and increased by 0.64 percent for every 1 degree increase above 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Associations with an increased rate of missed appointments were stronger for Individuals ≥65 years and those with chronic conditions.
“Primary care physicians should identify vulnerable patients and implement alternative methods of providing care during temperature extremes to decrease the negative impact and reduce the risk of missed appointments,” the authors write. “Efforts should be made to support and promote telemedicine as a permanent option to supplement in-person visits. Finally, the knowledge generated can be integrated into medical education so that future physicians are given skills to provide the climate change-related health care needs for their communities.”
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