Hospitals in Action >> Case Examples

BRATTLEBORO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL– Brattleboro. Vermont 
Athletic Trainer Makes Sports Safer for Student-Athletes

What is it?  
In an effort to make sports safer for student-athletes, the hospital is providing a certified athletic trainer (ATC) at Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS) to manage and prevent athletic injuries. The program is a cooperative effort of BMH, BUHS, and Cheshire Medical Center. BMH assumes the cost of the licensed athletic trainer’s salary and benefits as part of the hospital’s Sports Medicine Program; and Cheshire’s Sports Medicine Program provides educational support to the school’s trainer.

Who is it for? 
This project is intended to help make sports safer for student-athletes at BUHS.

Why do they do it?  
To provide on-site care for both acute and chronic injuries that may occur during home games or practices; and to create the best environment for student-athletes that enables they to return to their sport quickly and safely.

Impact: 
The athletic trainer sees an average of 25 patients in the high school clinic each day. That’s potentially 25 patient visits to the ED, a family physician or other specialist averted.  While some of these patients require further care, in many instances, the athletic trainer provides top quality sports medicine care without incurring the high cost of health care.  

Contact:   Barbara Gentry
Director, Community Relations
Telephone:    802-257-8316
Email:   bgentry@bmhvt.org