During the 2024 Paris Olympic weeks, adjusted weekly ED visits decreased by 3.3%, while EMS calls increased by 10% and MICU dispatches by 5-8%.
Do the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games increase ED visits and EMS activity in the most exposed geographical areas?
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were associated with a slight decrease in ED visits but a 5-10% increase in EMS calls and mobile ICU dispatches, providing a baseline for healthcare planning during future mass gathering events.
Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%
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.
Fantou et al. (Tue,) reported a other. During the 2024 Paris Olympic weeks, adjusted weekly ED visits decreased by 3.3%, while EMS calls increased by 10% and MICU dispatches by 5-8%.