Au Kin Heng Constantine
Medical Director, Emergency Care Training, Hong Kong and Shenzhen
Title: Medical Coverage in Rugby 7, Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics (YOG)
Biography
Biography: Au Kin Heng Constantine
Abstract
Medical coverage at mass events, especially sports events, is a popular sub-branch of care among emergency physicians and emergency nurses in Hong Kong. There is often a misconception that sports event coverage depends on the expertise of orthopedic surgeons. As generalists, emergency physicians and emergency nurses can handle medical emergencies such as exercise-induced asthma, cardiac arrest and gastroenteritis outbreak, and traumas such as joint dislocation and wounds. In addition, emergency physicians and emergency nurses are familiar with both prehospital care service and emergency room service. The Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine has established a Sports Medicine Subcommittee for more than ten years. In terms of work, medical coverage involves the pre-event stage, the event stage and the post-event stage. The pre-event stage involves recruitment of personnel, training and drills and preparation of equipment. The event stage involves skills beyond those found in the emergency room. The most important concept is to take care of the sick but not to overcrowd an already busy emergency room. The post-event stage involves evaluation and improvement of service. In terms of mentality, medical coverage involves consideration of clinical needs, logistics and politics (power and relationships). Clinical consideration is relatively easy for emergency physicians and emergency nurses. With respect to logistics and politics, things are not that straightforward. I would like to share my experience in the medical coverage of the Rugby 7, Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics (YOG).