GPS Tracking Technology Improves Health Emergency Preparedness at PGA Golf Tournament
17 Jul 2014The PGA Golf Tournament held by Travel Championship was fully prepared for health emergencies thanks to a new GPS tracking system.
Between June 16th and June 22nd, players and attendees of the PGA Golf Tournament in Cromwell, Connecticut had medical help at their fingertips. The annual tournament that is organized by Travelers Championship used technology to help provide on-the-site healthcare by giving all of their workers GPS trackers and combining it with an advanced dispatching service.
Being on a golf course for just one day has its own set of risks, but is especially risky during tournaments that go over several days. The golfers and fans are out in the heat for hours at a time, with very little breaks from it. They risk heat exhaustion, diabetic problems, lacerations, cuts or scrapes, ball strikes, slips and falls, and respiratory problems. These and other medical situations require fast care and are sometimes life or death situations.
The problem is that usually they are out on a course that is hard for medical staff to get to. Now with GPS tracking, the person in need of medical care lets the nearest employee know and they are able to quickly contact the dispatch team.
Dispatch uses the GPS tracking technology to find the qualified medical staff that is nearest that hole and able to give them what they need. Many of them are riding around on bikes, golf carts or segways, allowing them to get through the course quickly.
Dispatch views a computer screen with a live map that shows where all of their employees are. Every employee has a GPS tracking system on their person in order to facilitate the process. In some cases, dispatch lets an employee on a golf cart know so they can pick up the injured player and bring them to the medical tent. In other cases, they just need a bandaid or a bottle of water for heat problems.
Medical services are provided by staff of St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, which is nearby. In just a few minutes, they can be to a golfer’s side who is having a serious emergency, or tournament staff can provide what they need.
Every person on the medical mobile team is equipped with a high-tech GPS radio. Management of the tournament told reporters that the system is updated every 10 seconds, which helps them provide medical care to their players and visitors in a matter of minutes.
For the convenience of the players, there are 25 people on the medical team, as well as an eight-bed treatment facility on-site. This facility is there for those who have medical emergencies out on the golf course, as well as for walk-ins who need a quick remedy.
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