Reducing heat risks for the elderly by rescheduling healthcare appointments in Germany

Intensifying heatwaves pose severe health risks for elderly individuals, particularly during healthcare appointments scheduled in hot periods. We aimed to investigate if shifting consultation times or rescheduling elderly patients may mitigate heat-related risks and if healthcare providers and patients are open to do so.

We analyzed 17,619,866 consultation hours from 90,977 German healthcare providers during summer 2024, linking them with weather data to investigate heat-related risks. Simulations tested the effects of advancing, postponing, and mixed scheduling strategies. Additionally, surveys with 459 healthcare providers and 259 elderly patients assessed rescheduling practices, attitudes, and acceptance.

Analyses revealed that 15 % of consultations occurred under caution-level and 1 % under extreme caution-level heat conditions, with risk peaking in afternoon hours. Simulations showed that advancing morning and postponing afternoon consultations significantly reduced unsafe heat exposure. While 59 % of practices could theoretically accommodate all elderly patients before 11 am, few were doing so. Provider-initiated rescheduling was rare but more likely among those recognizing heat risks. Patient surveys revealed strong acceptance of rescheduling, particularly to morning hours.

Rescheduling healthcare appointments offers a feasible strategy to reduce heat risks for elderly patients. Increasing provider awareness may foster proactive rescheduling practices, enhancing patient protection during heatwaves.