As summer gets under way and record temperatures are on the rise, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new tool to help communities prepare for extreme heat and prevent heat-related illness, especially among those most at risk including older adults. The Heat and Health Index (HHI) is the first nationwide tool to provide heat-health outcome information at the ZIP code level.

The intent of the HHI is to help state and local officials identify communities, at the zip code level, most likely to experience negative health outcomes from heat, ensure that outreach and medical aid reach the people who need it most, and help decision-makers prioritize community resilience investments. However, providers can use the tool to better understand those they serve, where patients and older adults are most at risk for adverse heat-health outcomes and prepare interventions for individuals most at risk.

This tool complements CDC’s latest clinical guidance on heat for doctors and providers.