Pre-event ‘medical time out’ (2024)

1. http://orcid.org/0009-0005-1798-9622Ron Courson1,
2. Glenn Henry1,
3. Kyle Borque2,
4. Douglas J Casa3,
5. Micki S Collins4,
6. Christianne Eason3,
7. Greg Elkins5,
8. Jim Ellis6,
9. Warne Fitch7,
10. Richard Hunt8,
11. James Kyle9,
12. Lawrence J Lemak10,
13. Bert Mandelbaum11,
14. Kevin Morley12,
15. Catherine S O'Neal4,
16. Robb S Rehberg6,
17. Fred Reifsteck13,
18. Samantha E Scarneo-Miller14,
19. Allen Sills6

1. ¹Athletic, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
2. ²Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
3. ³Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
4. ⁴LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
5. ⁵Southern West Virginia Health System, Hamlin, West Virginia, USA
6. ⁶NFL, New York, New York, USA
7. ⁷Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
8. ⁸HHS, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
9. ⁹The Kyle Group, Lewisburg, West Virginia, USA
10. ¹⁰Lemak Health, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
11. ¹¹Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Med Group, Santa Monica, UK
12. ¹²Nashville Predators, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
13. ¹³University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
14. ¹⁴Division of Athletic Training, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

1. Correspondence to Ron Courson, Athletic, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA; rcourson{at}sports.uga.edu

• Accidents
• Athletic Injuries
• Defibrillators
• First aid
• Resuscitation

Medical emergencies are an inherent risk in any sport, transcending boundaries and impacting athletes globally. From a cervical spine injury on the (American) football field to a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) on the soccer pitch or an exertional heat stroke during a high school track meet, the potential for emergencies underscores the importance of preparedness and vigilance at every level and in all sport settings. Despite their varying contexts and levels of medical resources, sports share a common vulnerability to emergencies, emphasising the critical need for proactive measures to safeguard the health and well-being of athletes. Indeed, preparedness is paramount for handling medical emergencies effectively.

To enhance athlete safety at sporting events, we propose the implementation of a pre-event medical meeting, referred to as the ‘medical time out’ (MTO). The objective of the MTO is to gather sports medicine and emergency care personnel prior to a game or competition to review the emergency action plan (EAP) and enhance coordination before an emergency occurs. The aim of this commentary is to highlight key elements of MTO and promote its adoption throughout sport.

Footnotes

• X @mickiscollins

• Deceased This editorial is dedicated to Greg Elkins (12 May 1962 – 17 March 2024)

• Correction notice This article has been corrected since it published Online First. The affiliations for Christianne Eason and Douglas Casa have been updated.

• Contributors All authors made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the manuscript, assisted in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content, approved of the final version of the manuscript to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

• Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

• Competing interests None declared.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

• Author note This editorial is dedicated to Greg Elkins, MD (May 12, 1962 - March 17, 2024).

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