[Prehospital treatment at large outdoor music festivals. Economic aspects]

An emergency facility was provided at the Midtfyn Rock Music Festival in 1990 (comprising 7,000 musicians and ancillaries and an overall public attendance of 60,000). A total of 329 patients were treated at the facility during the four and a half days that the festival lasted. The numbers of diseases and injuries were recorded, and the economic aspects are discussed in the article. In 74 per cent of cases, treatment was completed at the emergency facility, and the patients could be discharged. In terms of staff costs and the saving in patient transport costs alone, the economic gain to the community was estimated to be about 25,000 DKR. Thus, the provision of an emergency facility was cost-effective, and is recommended at such mass outdoor gatherings as cultural and sports events.