LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A new health initiative helps alert seniors and those medically vulnerable of an impending heat wave with one phone call from a medical professional.
The Extreme Weather Alert Initiative, launched by CVS Health and Aetna, has more than 1,000 patients nationwide and in the Las Vegas Valley. Patients have been deemed the most medically vulnerable and susceptible to a health emergency during a heat spell.
All the patients are on Medicare and receive healthcare through Aetna. There are hopes to expand the program nationwide for access at CVS Minute Clinics.
Using data from a weather analytics program, artificial intelligence helps alert medical professionals of an impending heat alert or advisory. Health workers then call patients, and upon reviewing their health history and medications, provide personalized medical advice accordingly.
“Heat is a serious threat to public health. Heat kills more folks across the country each and every year than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods combined,” said Dr. Daniel Knecht, Chief Clinical Innovation Officer for CVS Caremark.
According to the latest statistics from the Clark County Medical Examiner, at least 342 people in the Las Vegas Valley have died from the summer heat in 2024.
A number of medical conditions and medications can exacerbate the effects of heat on the body.
“They would range from COPD respiratory, asthma, congestive heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes– those are some of the illnesses that you would see frequently for people who cannot exchange their fluid properly. They could have fluid overload or depression of their fluid levels,” explained La Tuanya Kilpatrick, a registered nurse and Care Manager for Aetna based in the Las Vegas Valley.
Medical professionals ask patients about their access to air conditioning, the temperature of their home, hydration habits and locations for nearby cooling stations.
“We try to give them tools,” Kilpatrick expressed. “Some members have dementia, and or may not have a high cognitive level. We have them literally write down things so that they can call the 24-hour nurse at Aetna if I have an issue. That simple reminder can be life saving for some members,”
In a matter of days, a new aspect of the program will launch: medical specialists will also conduct the same phone calls for air quality alerts.
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