TRENDING MEDICAL EDUCATION TOPIC: CLIMATE CHANGE

What is the problem?

The effects of climate change have measurable consequences for individual patients, communities, and entire populations. As climate-related hazards such as extreme or prolonged heat, wildfires, flooding, and tropical storms become more common globally, clinicians across all specialties encounter their health implications in practice — yet many have not received formal training in recognizing or managing climate-exacerbated illness. Data on climate change and the health effects of extreme weather events continue to evolve, and emerging evidence on heat exposure, wildfire smoke, and the secondary effects of climate change is directly relevant to patient care. Like most disasters, climate-related events disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, making awareness of socioeconomic and clinical risk factors essential to equitable care.

This presentation will review current data and evidence-based projections related to climate and health at both the individual and population level, with particular focus on at-risk populations. Participants will gain skills in addressing climate-exacerbated illness, understanding patient-specific risk factors related to hazards such as heat and smoke, and informing administrative and operational decisions related to preparedness, enabling both improved patient care and greater health system resilience.

Does your medical staff need an update on Climate Change and its related health outcomes? Here are some of the learning objectives that our faculty can cover in a 1-hour CME lecture:

Proposed Learning Objectives:

• Summarize air pollution exposure and potential health effects

• Summarize current data on the magnitude of climate change and evidence-based projections of its trajectory

• Describe the observed and projected health effects of major climate-related hazards, including extreme heat, air pollution, and severe weather events

• Analyze the impact of climate-related events on communities, healthcare systems, and patient outcomes

• Apply strategies to care for patients with climate-exacerbated illness and to strengthen health system resilience

If your medical staff needs an update on Climate Change, consider contacting our office to book a speaker on this topic at 877-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

REFERENCES

https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/default.htm

https://www.who.int/news‐room/fact‐sheets/detail/climate‐change‐and‐health

https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/