Keeping Fans Healthy During the 2012 PGA Championship in S.C.
June 13, 2012
Roper St. Francis prepares to be the medical services provider for thousands
CHARLESTON, SC – June 13, 2012 – This August up to 30,000 people per day are expected to gather at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island for the 2012 PGA Championship, and late summer in Charleston, S.C., means fans and players will be feeling the heat.
PGA officials have worked closely with Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s emergency services team to develop a safe and effective medical plan for heat-related and other illnesses during the large-scale event Aug. 6-12.
“Roper St. Francis is honored and proud to be the medical services provider of the 2012 PGA Championship,” said David Dunlap, president and CEO, Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “This tournament is a premier global sporting event, and we were thrilled when the PGA of America asked us to work with them again.”
PGA officials are anticipating more than 200,000 spectators throughout the week-long event (including practice rounds) that will draw the top names in world golf to Charleston.
“We have been planning for the PGA Championship, which will likely be played in temperatures upwards of 90 degrees, for many months,” said Wanda Brockmeyer, director of emergency services, Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “There will be three treatment locations on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort with approximately 40 emergency services professionals there at any given time.”
In all Roper St. Francis will have more than 25 board certified emergency medicine doctors, its sports medicine team, and close to 100 RNs, technicians and paramedics scheduled to work or on standby.
“Our hope is that we only have to give out a few bandages and water bottles but that’s not realistic,” said Jerry Flury, the RSFH medical branch director for the tournament’s on-site services. “All five of the Roper St. Francis emergency rooms in the area will be ready to receive patients if medical needs extend beyond what we can treat at the course.”
Typical ailments seen during past tournament include:
• Bug bites
• Chest pain
• Complex dehydration
• Heat exhaustion
• Orthopedic injuries
• Sunburn
Roper St. Francis Healthcare has previously provided medical care for the World Cup of Golf and the Senior PGA Championship all of which were held at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort.
“We will be ready again, and on a bigger scale, with roving walking units for basic first aid. Also, each medical station on the course will be equipped as a mini-version of an emergency department,” Brockmeyer said.
About The PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.
About the PGA Championship
Since 1916, golf’s premier professionals have been competing for the PGA Championship’s Wanamaker Trophy. Past Champions span the greatest names of golf over 90 years, including Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson.
The PGA Championship is one of the premier golf events conducted by The PGA of America, a list that includes the Ryder Cup, the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which brings together winners of golf’s four major championships.
For more information on the 2012 PGA Championship, call 843.768.6003, email [email protected], visit, www.PGA2012.com, Facebook (PGA Championship) or Twitter (@PGAChampionship).
The Roper St. Francis Healthcare Mission
Healing All People with Compassion, Faith and Excellence
Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the South Carolina Lowcountry’s only private, not-for-profit healthcare system. The 657-bed system consists of 100 facilities and services in nine counties. Member hospitals include Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper Rehabilitation Hospital. Roper St. Francis Physician Partners is a comprehensive network of more than 180 physicians that covers a complete range of primary care and 20 subspecialties. With more than 5,200 employees, RSFH is Charleston’s largest private employer. Ranked No. 41 among the Top 100 Integrated Health Networks in the nation, Roper St. Francis Healthcare annually earns numerous national awards recognizing high levels of patient, physician and employee satisfaction. For more information on RSFH, go to www.rsfh.com.
