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Medical care at the California AIDS Ride 3: experiences in event medicine
L J Friedman1, S W Rodi, M A Krueger
1UCLA Emergency Medicine Center, UCLA School of Medicine, USA.
Annals of Emergency Medicine
|February 24, 1998
Summary
The California AIDS Ride 3 saw over 25,000 patient encounters, with heat-related illnesses being a primary concern for the 105 medical staff. This event highlights the need for robust medical planning at large participant-focused events.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Event Medical Services
- Public Health
Background:
- Providing medical care at special events is a growing concern for emergency physicians.
- Limited data exists on events where participants significantly outnumber spectators.
- The California AIDS Ride 3 presented a unique scenario with a high volume of medical encounters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the medical encounters during the California AIDS Ride 3, a large-scale cycling event.
- To provide insights into the medical care required for events with a high participant-to-spectator ratio.
- To facilitate planning for future large-scale participant events.
Main Methods:
- The study analyzed medical encounters during the 8-day California AIDS Ride 3 (1996).
- 105 volunteer staff provided medical care, recording encounters on forms or via hash marks.
- Physicians reviewed records and categorized all patient encounters.
Main Results:
- Over 25,379 patient encounters were recorded.
- 509 encounters were triaged for physician examination, with 31% involving heat-related illnesses.
- 55 patients required transport to emergency departments, and 7 were admitted to the hospital.
Conclusions:
- The California AIDS Ride 3 generated more patient encounters than any previously documented similar event.
- The findings underscore the significant medical resources needed for large participant-focused events.
- This report aims to guide medical planning for future large-scale events.