Practical Solutions for Injury Surveillance at Mass Gatherings

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction:Public safety at mass gatherings is the responsibility of multi-ple agencies. Injury surveillance and inter-agency communication are pivotal to ensure continued public safety.Objectives:The principal objective of this pilot study was to improve the identification of trends and patterns of injury presentations at mass gather-ings. This was achieved through an electronic process for data gathering to support timely reporting of injury data. In addition, what evolved was the devel-opment of an inter-agency communication model to support information transfer.Methods:An Electronic Injury Surveillance System was created and piloted at two mass gatherings in South Australia. Live, real-time data were collect-ed via customized software supported by electronic report generation.Results:The Injury Surveillance System captured data on 181 injured patients and assisted in the identification of trends and patterns of presenta-tions. The relevant injuries and patterns of injuries were reported to the appropriate organizations based on pre-defined communication models.Conclusions:The pilot study demonstrated that it was possible to perform “live”, portable injury surveillance during patient presentations at two mass gatherings. The Injury Surveillance System ensured immediate data capture. Well-defined communication systems established for this pilot also enabled early action to rectify hazards. Further development of electronic injury sur-veillance should be considered as an essential tool for managing public safety at mass gatherings.