Florida Hospital Initiates Sports Medicine Program With Local Schools

Florida Hospital is truly looking out for the local community. The institution is launching a sports medicine program with local schools that will involve a wide spectrum of services for children and adults. Patients will benefit from injury prevention and sports performance programs, as well as post injury services like outpatient rehab, noninvasive treatments and surgery.

“This is just one example of Florida Hospital’s commitment to improve the health and wellness of the Tampa Bay community. We are proud to partner with local schools as well as the Pasco County School District for athletic training to serve and help keep youth athletes safe, ” said Mike Schultz, Florida Hospital West Florida Region President and CEO, in the August 17, 2015 news release.

As indicated in the news release, “Florida Hospital recently partnered with the Pasco County School District to provide full time athletic trainers in all 13 high schools across the country at no cost to the schools. The trainers are on the school campus every day and attend practices as well as home athletic games for a variety of sports.”

“We are very excited to partner with a recognized health leader like Florida Hospital, ” says Amy Lipovetsky, Athletic Director for the Pasco County School District. “They are really raising the level of care for our student athletes.”

“Ideally, we want to help these young athletes prevent injuries. But if they do get hurt, our trainers are there to help them connect with the appropriate medical care, ” said Barbara J. Morris, DHSc, ATC, CSCS, ROT. Dr. Morris is Director of the Sports Medicine & Performance program, a program whereby medical professionals can help identify and correct dysfunctional movement that impede maximum sports performance and increases the risk of acute and overuse injuries.

Dr. Morris told OTW, “In an effort to provide cutting edge technology to our community we chose Head Rehab whose foundation is based on solid neuroscience combined with virtual reality technology which evaluates multiple areas of brain function; spatial memory, balance, reaction time. This science/technology is a good fit with our Sports Medicine and Performance program where we provide sports medicine services to 15 area high schools who provide a variety of sporting options to the student body.”

“The equipment is easy to use, testing time is minimum and due to the technology student athletes are motivated to participate. The balance component, which addresses vestibular issues, is essential in determining return to play status.”

“Our mark of success will be retrospectively looking at the diagnosed concussions for the academic year and assessing the successful return not only to play but to learning.”