Citation

Chang EC, Koval E, Freer L, Kraus S. Wilderness Environ. Med. 2000; 11(4): 257-261.

Affiliation

University of Rochester School of Medicine, NY, USA. Eric.Chang@mc.rochester.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11199530

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Planning and providing emergency and primary care for a large transient population of visitors and employees in a national park can be problematic. Furthermore, planning for emergency and primary health care needs of visitors and itinerant workers in a wilderness area national park has not been well documented. A study was performed to analyze emergency and primary health care utilization in a national park. METHODS: Data was gathered from all patients presenting to Lake Hospital Emergency Department in Yellowstone in 1995, and a retrospective chart review was performed. RESULTS: Two distinct populations with different health care needs were identified. CONCLUSION: Utilization analysis revealed differences between conventional mass gatherings and the mass gatherings in Yellowstone. Because of the unique conditions and populations found in a wilderness area, conventional mass gathering emergency medical service models may not be an appropriate model for planning health care in a national park. Analysis of utilization data can help plan resources for emergency and primary health care for a park population.

Language: en