The 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires and Outpatient Acute Health Care Utilization

Did acute outpatient and virtual care visits increase more than expected among Kaiser Permanente Southern California members following the 2025 Los Angeles fires?There were 8032 excess outpatient respiratory visits and 3375 excess virtual cardiovascular and respiratory visits, representing 27% to 44% higher than expected visits among the highly exposed (<20 km from the burn zone) and moderately exposed groups (LA County, 20 km from burn zone) exposed over the week following the January 7, 2025, LA fires’ ignition. Outpatient and virtual injury and neuropsychiatric visits were also elevated at the same time.Substantial increases in outpatient and virtual health care utilization following the LA fires suggest emerging importance of virtual care during disruptive climate events.

Corresponding Author: Joan A. Casey, PhD, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105 (jacasey@uw.edu).

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