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Publications

Journal Article Ahead of print

PubMed: 41556174 DOI: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001307

Impact of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games on emergency department visits and emergency medical service activity.

Eur J Emerg Med

Authors: Agathe Fantou, Jérémie Scire, Youri Yordanov, Frederic Adnet, Mathias Wargon, Yonathan Freund

Affiliations

  • Samu de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malade, APHP, Université Paris Cité, Paris.
  • Observatoire Régional des Soins Non Programmés d'Île-de-France, Saint-Denis.
  • Emergency Department, Hospital Croix Rousse SAMU 69, Research on Healthcare Performance (RESHAPE, INSERM U1290), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon.
  • Emergency Department, Hôpital Delafontaine, Saint-Denis.
  • Emergency Department, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.

Abstract

IMPORTANCE

The Olympic Games, as the world's largest sporting event, present significant logistical challenges for healthcare delivery, especially regarding emergency medical service (EMS) and emergency department (ED) preparedness. Evaluating their impact on emergency services supports better planning of future Olympic or other such events and helps align emergency healthcare provision with demand. Nevertheless, data on their real-world impact remain limited.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to assess whether the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were associated with an increase in ED visits and EMS activity in the most exposed geographical areas.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective, population-based study analyzed routinely collected administrative data from all EDs and EMS dispatch centers in the departments of Paris (75) and Seine-Saint-Denis (93), which hosted most Olympic venues. Weekly ED visits, EMS calls (SAMU), and physician-staffed mobile ICU (MICU) dispatches were extracted from January 2019 through December 2024. Pandemic years (2020-2021) were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the adjusted mean weekly number of ED visits during the core Olympic period (weeks 30-32). Secondary outcomes included call center activity and MICU dispatch volume. These were also analyzed during an extended period (weeks 27-35), encompassing the Paralympic Games. Data for 2019, 2022, and 2023 were standardized to 2024 levels using annual mean activity excluding Olympic weeks.

RESULTS

Over 3.7 million ED visits were analyzed. During the core Olympic weeks, adjusted weekly ED visits were slightly lower in 2024 compared with previous years (-3.3%, -3.6%, and -0.9% vs 2019, 2022, and 2023 respectively). Conversely, EMS calls increased by approximately 10% and MICU dispatch activity by 5-8%. Mean patient age (47.4 years) remained stable, and no clinically meaningful differences were observed.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were not associated with an increase in ED utilization but with a slight increase in EMS calls and MICU activity. This study offers a baseline reference for futures large-scale international events with mass gathering.

MeSH

Emergencies, Emergency Medicine, Disaster Medicine, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Service, Hospital