Survey of scholastic athletic health care and sports medicine clinics

The increasing number of athletes requiring health care has spurred the growth of the development of sports medicine clinics. The diversity of such clinics is readily apparent. These clinics primarily function to provide evaluative and rehabilitative measures to all groups of athletic participants. Scholastic health care for athletic participants has not proceeded in a similar pattern. Sports medicine clinics are not effectively meeting the needs of the scholastic athlete, primarily because of location and financial limitations. This survey was conducted to collect information to further delineate the problems associated with scholastic health care of athletic participants. It appears that sports medicine clinics are manned by several levels of health care professionals. Scholastic athletes are least adequately covered by insurance and also suffer from being within a somewhat isolated environment. The need for on-field care and follow-up care within the school system remains a key problem associated with scholastic health care. Further research into the relationship of insurance policies which will adequately meet the needs of the scholastic population must be pursued.