Medical Coverage in Mass Events: The Oxfam Trailwalker 1996 to 2007

Abstract

Medical coverage of mass events is quite different from medical practice within hospitals. The environment can be hostile and chaotic. Participants may behave unpredictably due to the effects of alcohol, drugs, or simple surges of adrenaline during sports events. Emergency physicians have provided medical coverage for many events. Together with emergency nurses, they formed core members of the medical teams in these events. It is natural as staffs of emergency departments are trained to handle acute medical and surgical illnesses. In many cases, emergency physicians are medical directors of events and are responsible for organising and coordinating such medical coverage. Local examples are the Sixth World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in 2005, the Oxfam Trailwalker, and the Equestrian Event of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics. It is expected that many more emergency physicians will be invited to organise medical coverage for mass events in Hong Kong. Doctors from other specialties will provide additional assets. Input from doctors specialised in rehabilitation, for example, can implement the concept of rehabilitation in planning medical coverage. This article serves to illustrate the principles used in the medical coverage of Oxfam Trailwalker. Trailwalker was started as endurance training for the Gurkhas in Hong Kong. Walkers formed teams of four to complete the 100 km MacLehose Trail within a 48-hour time limit. Oxfam Trailwalker has a crowd of over 10,000 participants each year. The number of medical contacts is about 1600 to 1800 each year.