Emergency department activities at the Athletes' Village during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Norihiro Kuroki; Kazuyoshi Yagishita; Keiki Shimizu; Sachiko Okuaki; Yuuri Doi; Yuki Arakawa; Tomotsugu Nakano; Takao Akama

doi:10.1002/ams2.905

Emergency department activities at the Athletes' Village during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Acute Med Surg. 2023 Nov 27;10(1):e905. doi: 10.1002/ams2.905. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Norihiro Kuroki^{1

2}, Kazuyoshi Yagishita^{1

3}, Keiki Shimizu^{1

4}, Sachiko Okuaki^{1

5}, Yuuri Doi^{1

6}, Yuki Arakawa^{1

4}, Tomotsugu Nakano^{1

7}, Takao Akama^{1

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Service Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo Japan.
² Department of Cardiology Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital Tokyo Japan.
³ Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Sports Dentistry Tokyo Medical and Dental University Tokyo Japan.
⁴ Department of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center Tokyo Japan.
⁵ Nursing Department Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center Tokyo Japan.
⁶ Nursing Department Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital Tokyo Japan.
⁷ Emergency and Critical Care Center Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital Tokyo Japan.
⁸ Faculty of Sport Sciences Waseda University Saitama Japan.

Abstract

Aim: More than 15,000 elite athletes participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Providing adequate medical services to these elite athletes was a priority. Hence, a polyclinic was established in the Athletes' Village. Visitors were triaged at the emergency department of the polyclinic to enable early treatment of critical illnesses or injuries in the emergency room (ER) and to identify patients suspected of having coronavirus disease as early as possible. No reports of emergency department activities at large sporting events in the pandemic era are available. Here, we aim to summarize the activities at the emergency department of the polyclinic.

Methods: Data were collected using an electronic medical record system, nursing records, and questionnaires administered during triage from July 13 to September 8, 2021. Polyclinic data involving accredited athletes and team members were summarized.

Results: During the Olympic Games, 12,318 triage cases were reported, of which 75 were treated in the ER. During the Paralympic Games, 8398 triage cases were reported, of which 94 were treated in the ER. During the Olympic Games, musculoskeletal issues (26 patients) were the most common. During the Paralympic Games, ear, nose, and throat issues were the most common (21 patients). Two patients experienced cardiopulmonary arrest in the Athletes' Village and were transported to the hospital postresuscitation.

Conclusion: During the study period, many critically ill patients were triaged and treated at the emergency department. Our data can be used to improve medical care and infection prevention at future international sporting events.

Keywords: Tokyo 2020; coronavirus disease; elite athlete; triage.