Mass gathering medical care: To calculate the Medical Usage Rate of Galway Races

Authors

  • Waqar Shah, AFRCSI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2010.0008

Keywords:

mass, gathering, medical, car

Abstract

Medical Usage Rate (MUR) of Galway Races: The Galway Races is the most popular horse-racing festival in Ireland. It takes place for a week starting from the last Monday in July. The races are held at Ballybrit race course in Galway. During the 7 days of racing, about 180,000 people attend. The average temperature in Galway around that time of the year is around 15-20°C.
The aim of this study is to calculate the MUR of Galway Races and to develop a model to predict the MUR for Galway Races in future.
The MUR of Galway Races is calculated by looking retrospectively at the medical records of the last 11 years of Galway Races from 1997 to 2007. The Galway Races has a MUR of 3.67 patient per ten thousand. Based on the figures for last 10 years, the predictive MUR for Galway Races 2008 calculated before the races and actual figures in 2008 races is comparable.

Author Biography

Waqar Shah, AFRCSI

Emergency Department, University College Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland.

References

Milsten AM, Seaman KG, Liu P, et al.:Variables influencing medical usage rates, injury patterns, and level of care for mass gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2003; 18: 334-346.

Zeitz KM, Zeits CJ, Arbon P: Forecasting medical work at mass gathering predictive model versus retrospective review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2005; 20: 164-168.

Arbon P, Bridgewater FH, Smith C: Mass gathering medicine: A model for patient presentation and transport rates. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2001; 16: 150-158.

Published

01/01/2010

How to Cite

Shah, AFRCSI, W. “Mass Gathering Medical Care: To Calculate the Medical Usage Rate of Galway Races”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 5, no. 1, Jan. 2010, pp. 61-64, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2010.0008.