A PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO MEDICAL CARE AND COVERAGE FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, January 6, 2001

3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moderator:

 

Gary Karner, Commissioner of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

 

 

 

 

Panel:

 

Thomas A. Butcher, General Counsel, Grand Valley State University

 

Earl W. Edwards, Director of Athletics, University of California, San Diego

 

Jeff Martinez, Director of Athletics, University of Redlands

 

Joy L. Reighn, Director of Athletics, Rowan University

 

 


 

 


ATHLETIC TRAINER EDUCATION REFORM AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE AND COVERAGE AT NCAA INSTITUTIONS: CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE CHALLENGES.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

1. CURRENT SITUATION.

 

?        Current emergency care and coverage practices.

 

?        A resource for coverage ? the athletic trainer.

 

?        Current liability concerns regarding health care coverage.

 

 

2. FUTURE CHALLENGES.

 

?        National Athletic Trainer?s Association (NATA) education reform.

 

?        NATA Task Force on Appropriate Medical Coverage for Intercollegiate Athletics.

 

 

3. HEALTH CARE COVERAGE PRINCIPLES FOR ALL INSTITUTIONS.

 

?        Emergency plan.

 

?        Expanded playing and practice opportunities.

 

 

4. OPTIONS FOR SCHOOLS CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH CARE AND COVERAGE.

 

?        Programming / partnerships.

 

?        Staffing.

 

 

5. SUMMARY.

 

A report of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, November 2000.

 

The full report is found on the NCAA Web site.

 


NCAA Health Care and Coverage Philosophies

 

 

?        Institutional commitment to protect the health of and provide a safe environment for each student-athlete.

 

?        Established emergency plan for all in-season and out-of-season athletics activities.

 

?        Someone qualified and delegated to render emergency care at each in-season and out-of-season athletics activity.

 

?        Equitable access to appropriate health care and coverage.

 

 

 

 


Competitive Safeguards Committee Points of Emphasis.

 

 

?        Each sport has a unique risk of injury, and injury surveillance provides a foundation for sports medicine policy decision making.

 

?        There is a ?cost? to institutional sports medicine resources whenever new sports are added or playing and practice opportunities are expanded.

 

?        Many components of health care coverage, such as preparation, treatment and rehabilitation, occur outside the practice and competition area.

 

?        Variables such as length of season, out-of-season practices, squad size, and administrative duties and travel schedules of the involved healthcare staff, may impact the ability to provide health care coverage.

 


Suggested Issues to Consider when Evaluating Health Care and Coverage Philosophies of Departments of Intercollegiate Athletics

 

?        Identify all activities that fall within the responsibilities of the athletics department, including in-season and out-of season practice and games, strength and conditioning sessions and individual skill instruction.

 

?        Establish an emergency plan for all in-season and out-of-season athletically related activities.*

 

?        Consider the need for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) / first aid certification for all coaches and athletic department staff to achieve an optimal goal of someone qualified and delegated to render emergency care at each in-season and out-of-season athletics activity.

 

?        Establish equitable access to appropriate health care and coverage.

 

?        Establish a mechanism for risk assessment by sport or activity to provide a reasonable philosophy for resource allocation.

 

?        Develop a mechanism to identify the times during the academic year of peak usage of health care resources and consider supplementing the resources allotted during those defined periods.

 

?        Consider qualifications of health care personnel.

 

?        Consider all rules and regulations (e.g. state, local) regarding the permissible duties of certified and non-certified health care personnel.

 

?        Identify the additional resources necessary to support the addition of new sports or the expansion of the playing season.

 

?        Identify and plan for the essential components of health care and coverage (e.g. treatments, rehabilitation) that occur away from the practice and competition area.

 

?        Understand that variables (e.g. length of season, out-of-season practices, squad size, and administrative duties and travel schedules of the involved healthcare staff) may impact the ability to provide health care and coverage.

 

?        Evaluate the impact of student-athlete insurance issues.

 

?        Consider a variety of options to achieve appropriate health care and coverage. *

 

* More information may be found on the NCAA Web site.