Heat alert: priority in emergency rooms and treatment at home, here are the countermeasures

Activation of the 'heat code', i.e., a preferential and differentiated assistance route in emergency rooms; strengthening of the medical guard service; territorial outpatient clinics 7 days a week over the 12-hour period; reactivation of the Uscar (special regional continuity of care units) to promote home assistance against inappropriate access to the Ps; and promotion of the ministry's communication campaign. These are the recommendations contained in a new circular to cope with the heat emergency that has become alarming again in recent days, especially in some cities where there is a risk of reaching 40 degrees.

Temperatures are rising and the Ministry of Health has decided to issue a circular to prevent the effects of heatwaves, addressed to the Health Councillors of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces. In detail, the measures are necessary 'to better cope with the health effects' of the heat 'in particular for vulnerable people', starting with the elderly. The circular - signed by the director general of Health Prevention, Francesco Vaia - calls for 'organisational actions that strengthen ordinary response to requests for health assistance'. The Ministry of Health will, among other things, reactivate 'the public utility number 1500 to provide indications and information to citizens' and will make available daily on its website 'heat wave bulletins for 27 Italian cities recommended to cope with the heat emergency'.

Among the anti-hot weather countermeasures that the regions have been asked to apply is first and foremost 'strongly recommended activation of the so-called 'heat code', i.e. the setting up 'of a differentiated preferential care path in emergency rooms'. In practice, all those who show signs and symptoms caused by illnesses related to high temperatures, of varying severity and intensity, are assigned an ad hoc code at triage in the emergency room so that they receive treatment in the right time. The heat code was already tried out last year. The circular also recommends 'activating the territorial outpatient clinics seven days a week', over 12 hours. The 'doctor's on-call service' should also be strengthened, while the 'Uscar' should be reactivated to promote home care and avoid inappropriate access to emergency rooms'. It is also important to strengthen the communication plan, 'promoting the campaign prepared by the Ministry of Health and the regional authorities, giving it the widest possible dissemination'.