Olympics and healthcare

What’s in for today:

• Olympics and public health

• AI in healthcare: Recent collaboration

• Walz’s stance on healthcare, Americans’ unfavorable view of the industry, and growing lack of trust in the system

LET’S TALK!

The Olympics have historically been associated with the economic impact on the host country. While tangible things like new stadiums, roads, or infrastructure are often recognized as representative legacies of the Olympics (for example, when you think of the Beijing Olympics, you think about the bird’s nest), the effects on public health often get left out of the conversation. 

Pre-game

Hosting the Olympics requires a lot of preparation that often leads to large-scale construction projects to develop cutting-edge sports facilities, athlete villages, and upgraded infrastructure. However, the cost of these preparations can be overwhelmingly high.

For example, when Rio hosted the 2016 Olympics, a lot of money was taken away from public health to pay for construction. This aggravated the economic downturn that Brazil was already experiencing at that time. As a result, hospitals and clinics faced budget cuts, leading to a reduction in services. “Rio lacks about 150 beds for emergency care and intensive care every day,” CNN reports.

Building stadiums and roads can also be dangerous for people in the host country, especially those who have to move because of the construction. According to a Center on Housing and Evictions Report, over 1.5 million were relocated before the 2008 Beijing Olympics (5).

The Olympics can also harm the environment and the people who live near the games. For instance, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics needed a lot of water to make artificial snow. This meant that water was taken away from farmers and people living in a place that doesn't get much rain (Source).

Silver lining

The Olympics present both challenges and opportunities for creating long-term positive changes in public health. As a major sporting event, the Olympics are closely linked to physical health and promote overall wellness.

The Olympics inspire millions of people to participate in sports and engage in physical activities. Host countries often launch public health campaigns to coincide with the games, encouraging citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles.

For example, in Los Angeles, the PlayLA initiative was launched to provide affordable and accessible sports programs for young people of all abilities. The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, are investing $160 million to make sports more accessible to kids across the city ahead of the 2028 Games.

In London, a "Health Legacy" workstream was developed, partnering with various sectors to implement the "Go London" strategy. This inspired over 200 health and wellbeing projects across the city. Unlike previous host cities, London emphasized the evaluation of its health initiatives, commissioning an independent assessment by UCL to measure the impact and effectiveness of their efforts. This comprehensive approach was intended to ensure that the Games left a sustainable health improvement legacy for Londoners.

Infrastructure and disease prevention

The increased population and population density during large events pose higher risks of outbreaks of communicable diseases, transmission of diseases between the host population and visitors, and potential terrorist attacks. In response to these challenges, Beijing successfully identified key factors to prevent disease outbreaks. Food safety and water sanitation were greatly improved to reduce traveler diarrhea, emergency medical services were enhanced, and the Games left Beijing with a reinforced surveillance system and a strengthened capacity for public health risk management.

Another example is the stringent health protocols implemented during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing the country’s capability to handle public health crises and setting a precedent for future health emergencies. The international nature of the Olympics requires robust disease prevention and control measures. These initiatives can have lasting benefits beyond the games.

A significant benefit of hosting mega-events is the improvement in the city’s general and healthcare infrastructure. For example, the Beijing Olympic Health Services have not only left the host city with improved health infrastructure and advanced technologies but also with a skilled workforce of health professionals that continues to benefit the city long after the Games.

Why should you care?

Why should people care about the Olympics' impact on public health? Well, when a country hosts the Olympics, it can lead to changes in public health infrastructure, disease control measures, and health promotion campaigns that benefit everyone. The lessons learned and changes made can influence global health policies and practices, ultimately affecting healthcare quality and accessibility worldwide.

While we enjoy watching our favorite athletes and getting caught up in the excitement of the games, it's crucial to remember the significant impacts the Olympics have on public health. Understanding both the challenges and the opportunities involved can help us better appreciate the true cost and value of hosting this global event.

TRACKING: AI IN HEALTHCARE

• GE Healthcare is partnering with Amazon Web Services to develop generative AI models and tools aimed at efficiently analyzing complex medical data across various healthcare operations. This collaboration will enhance data accessibility and utilization in the healthcare industry, helping clinicians optimize workflows and improve decision-making process.

• Mayo Clinic is partnering with Epic and Abridge to create an AI tool specifically designed for nurses. This tool aims to reduce the burden of documentation by automatically transcribing clinical notes into the electronic health record (EHR). Developed with input from Mayo's nurses, the tool is set to pilot in early 2025. This will give nurses more time to focus on patient care rather than EHR-related tasks.

• A collaborative study by Providence, Microsoft, and the University of Washington has introduced Prov-GigaPath, an AI-powered pathology model. This model has shown significant improvement in cancer diagnostics, by analyzing whole-slide images and predicting mutations. The research, published in Nature, addresses major challenges in computational pathology and has the potential to revolutionize cancer research and patient care around the world.

POLICY & INDUSTRY NEWS

🩺 Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Walz is known for his strong stance on healthcare, including advocating for veterans, protecting reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights, and implementing progressive policies such as universal free meals for students (Read more here).

🏥Survey Says:  A YouGov poll found that 53% of Americans have an unfavorable view of the U.S. healthcare system. The perceptions differ based on gender, race, sexual orientation, and age. Additionally, 32% of people have avoided medical care due to past negative experiences.

🥼 A KFF article highlights the growing lack of trust in the American medical system due to the loss of trusted doctors and lack of healthcare providers. This has caused burnout among clinicians and made it hard for people to get routine care, especially in community health centers. The strain on the healthcare system has left elderly patients feeling abandoned and unsure about seeking necessary medical care, making the crisis worse.