Melted Money: The impact on emergent and urgent healthcare of the ice bucket challenge.

The ice bucket challenge has swept the nation and has brought a lot of attention to one of many diseases that truly needed the attention, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS and many other progressive spinal cord & neurologic diseases have in no doubt benefited from the selfless donations of numerous Americans over the last few months in thanks to the ice bucket challenge.

If you are unaware, in short. The ice bucket challenge is a viral marketing sensation, mostly on Facebook, of "nominees" usually while pledging a donation dumping a bucket of ice water on their heads and nominating three additional pledgers. I must admit, sounds like a nice summer treat.

From sources close to the ALS foundation I have heard upwards of 22 million dollars in donations to this point, which is fantastic. My growing concern is for the ice bucket challenge "fails". As with any viral phenomenon, nominees want to one-up one another over and over and over again. This has resulted in more "unique" ways to preform the simple task of dumping a bucket of ice water on ones head.

As you may have found out (Google 'ice bucket challenge fail'). People dumping absurdly large buckets of ice from heights that are unsafe and in conditions that are unsafe onto peoples heads. This has resulted in multiple injuries including fractures, lacerations, concussions, eye damage, cardiogenic shock, multiple contusions, and a plethora of other injuries.

The lesser of these injuries in an emergency room likely costs between $600 - $1000, while the more serious can result in surgery, hospital admission, and short-to-long term disability (although I have not seen or heard of any to this point) could run in the five to six digit range.

The economic impact on the healthcare system will likely be minute from these injuries. The challenge has done a wonderful thing pulling awareness for this cause. The point of my article is to bring awareness to the general public on safety.

We have all acted purely on impulse before, all done things we know we should not have. Just try to think before you act during the ice bucket challenge and donate as much as you can to help improve outcomes for ALS.

Happy Icing