OhioHealth recently announced it would provide sports medicine services to Trimble Local School District and Nelsonville-York City School District after securing a five-year partnership with the districts.
On Aug. 10, the Columbus-based hospital system said in a news release that its athletic trainers would provide medical and training services to middle school and high school athletes. OhioHealth currently provides treatment in school systems across southeast Ohio, including Athens City Schools and Ohio University.
Bill Davis, director of sports medicine at OhioHealth, said athletic trainers will provide traditional services including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for sports medicine and athletic-related injuries. Davis said trainers will work in conjunction with team physicians in order to “provide really high-quality and consistent care to kids.”
“At OhioHealth, we’re also very fortunate to be able to ... because of the breadth and depth of what we’ve been able to build over time, bring a lot of additional value added services,” Davis said.
Through the new partnership, OhioHealth will provide services such as sports nutrition, sports psychology and mental health resources, concussion treatment and management services and strength training upon request, he said.
“We’re hopeful that our athletic trainers will become part of the fabric of the school. These are new relationships for us, and we don’t want them to be transactional business relationships,” he said.
OU’s athletic training program partners with OhioHealth sports medicine to provide a 12-month pediatric and adolescent sports medicine residency for certified athletic trainers.
Kaitlyn Moore, an athletic trainer at Trimble High School, started at Trimble Local Schools in August 2020 as a graduate assistant through OU. However, she did not begin working for OhioHealth until this year.
Moore said athletic trainers are taught to provide patient care in five domains of clinical practice: injury prevention, clinical evaluation, diagnosis of injuries or illnesses, emergency care (spine-boarding, excessive bleeding, CPR), treatment and rehabilitation programs and organization, professional health and well-being.
“At Trimble High School, specifically, we do all of these things. I say we because it's a team effort between me as the athletic trainer, athletic director, coaching staff, athletes and parents/guardians,” Moore said in an email. “Ultimately, the health and safety of each of our athletes is the top priority.”
Austin Downs, athletic director at Trimble High School and assistant football coach and assistant varsity baseball coach, said long-term trainers are new to the school.
Downs said Trimble is used to having temporary placements for athletic training, so having someone who can be a familiar face for students as they adjust to in-person activities is a major benefit.
“I am the only athletic trainer here at Trimble High School. Again, caring for my athletes is my top priority,” Moore said in an email. “If that means I have to come in early to be sure all of my athletes who are in need of my assistance in any way receive that, then I make it happen. On the other hand, if I have to stay late, I make it happen.”
