SIDELINE PREPAREDNESS FOR THE TEAM PHYSICIAN:
A CONSENSUS STATEMENT
Summary
The objective of the Sideline Preparedness Statement is to provide physicians who are responsible for making decisions regarding the medical care of athletes with guidelines for identifying and planning for medical care and services at the site of practice or competition. It is not intended as a standard of care, and should not be interpreted as such. The Sideline Preparedness Statement is only a guide, and as such, is of a general nature, consistent with the reasonable, objective practice of the healthcare professional.
Individual treatment will turn on the specific facts and circumstances presented to the physician at the event. adequate insurance should be in place to help protect the physician, the athlete, and the sponsoring organization.
The Sideline Preparedness Statement was developed by a collaboration of six major professional associations concerned about clinical sports medicine issues; they have committed to forming an ongoing project-based alliance to "bring together sports medicine organizations to best serve active people and athletes". The organizations are: American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine.
Expert Panel
Stanley A. Herring, M.D., Chair, Seattle, Washington
John Bergfeld, M.D., Cleveland, Ohio
Joel Boyd, M.D., Edina, Minnesota
Per Gunnar Brolinson, D.O., Toledo, Ohio
Timothy Duffey, D.O., Columbus, Ohio
David Glover, M.D., Warrensburg, Missouri
William A. Grana, M.D., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Brian C. Halpern, M.D., Marlboro, New Jersey
Peter Indelicato, M.D., Gainesville, Florida
W. Ben Kibler, M.D., Lexington, Kentucky
E. Lee Rice, D.O., San Diego, California
William O. Roberts, M.D., White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Sideline Preparedness Statement Definition
Sideline preparedness is the identification of and planning for medical services to promote the safety of the athlete, to limit injury, and to provide medical care at the site of practice or competition.
Goal
The safety and on-site medical care of the athlete is the goal of sideline preparedness. To accomplish this goal, the team physician should be actively involved in developing an integrated medical system that includes:
- Pre-season planning
- Game-day planning
- Post-season evaluation
Pre-Season Planning
Pre-season planning promotes safety and minimizes problems associated with athletic participation at the site of practice or competition.
The team physician should coordinate:
- Development of policy to address pre-season planning and the pre-participation evaluation of athletes
- Participation of the administration and other key personnel in medical issues
- Implementation strategies
Medical Protocol Development
It is essential that:
- Prospective athletes complete a pre-participation evaluation
In addition, it is desirable that:
- The pre-participation evaluation be preformed by an M.D. or D.O. in good standing with an unrestricted license to practice medicine
- A comprehensive pre-participation evaluation form be used (e.g., the form found in the current edition of Pre-participation Physical Evaluation)
- The team physician has access to all pre-participa- tion evaluation forms
- The team physician review all pre-participation evaluation forms and determine eligibility of the athlete to participate
- Timely pre-participation evaluations be preformed to permit the identification and treatment of injuries and medical conditions
Administrative Protocol Development
It is essential for the team physician to coordinate:
- Development of a chain of command that establishes and defines the responsibilities of all parties involved
- Establishment of an emergency response plan for practice and competition
- Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards relevant to the medical care of the athlete
- Establishment of a policy to assess environmental concerns and playing conditions for modification or suspension of practice or competition
- Compliance with all local, state and Federal regulations regarding storing and dispensing pharmaceuticals
- Establishment of a plan to provide for proper documentation and medical record keeping
In addition, it is desirable for the team physician to coordinate:
- Regular rehearsal of the emergency response plan
- Establishment of a network with other health care providers, including medical specialists, athletic trainers and allied health professionals
- Establishment of a policy that includes the team physician in the dissemination of any information regarding the athletes health
- Preparation of a letter of understanding between the team physician and the administration that defines the obligations and responsibilities of the team physician
Game-day Planning
Game-day planning optimizes medical care for injured or ill athletes.
The team physician should coordinate:
- Game-day medical operations
- Game-day administrative medical policies
- Preparation of the sideline "medical bag" and sideline medical supplies
Medical Protocol
It is essential for the team physician to coordinate:
- Determination of final clearance status of injured or ill athletes on game-day prior to competition
- Assessment and management of game-day injuries and medical problems
- Determination of athletes same-game return to participation after injury or illness
- Follow-up care and instructions for athletes who require treatment during or after competition
- Notifying the appropriate parties about an athletes injury or illness
- Close observation of the game by the medical team from an appropriate location
- Provision for proper documentation and medical record keeping
In addition, it is desirable for the team physician to coordinate:
- Monitoring of equipment safety and fit
- Monitoring of post-game referral care of injured or ill athletes
Administrative Protocol
It is essential for the team physician to coordinate:
- Assessment of environmental concerns and playing conditions
- Presence of medical personnel at the competition site with sufficient time for all pre-game preparations
- And plan with the medical staff of the opposing team for medical care of the athletes
- Introductions of the medical team to game officials
- Review of the emergency medical response plan
- Checking and confirmation of communication equipment
- Identification of examination and treatment sites
In addition, it is desirable for the team physician to coordinate:
- Arrangements for the medical staff to have convenient access to the competition site
- A post-game review and make necessary modifica- tions of medical and administrative protocols
On-Site Medical Supplies
The team physician should have a game-day sideline "medical bag" and sideline medical supplies. The following is a list of "medical Bag" items and medical supplies for contact/collision and high-risk sports:
It is highly desirable for the "medical bag" to include:
General
- Alcohol swabs and povidone iodine swabs
- Bandage scissors
- Bandages, sterile/non-sterile, band-aids
- D-50%-W
- Disinfectant
- Gloves, sterile/non-sterile
- Large bore angiocath for tension pneumothorax (14-16 gauge)
- Local anesthetic/syringes/needles
- Paper
- Pen
- Sharps box and red bag
- Suture set/steri-strips
- Wound irrigation materials (e.g., sterile normal saline, 10-50 cc syringe)
Cardiopulmonary
- Airway
- Blood Pressure cuff
- Cricothyrotomy kit
- Epinephrine 1:1000 in a prepackaged unit
- Mouth-to-mouth mask
- Short-acting beta agonist inhaler
- Stethoscope
Head and Neck/Neurologic
- Dental kit (e.g., cyanoacrylate, HankÕs solution)
- Eye kit (e.g., blue light, fluorescein stain strips, eye patch pads, cotton tip applicators, ocular anesthetic and antibiotics, contact remover, mirror)
- Flashlight
- Pin or other sharp object for sensory testing
- Reflex hammer
It is highly desirable for sideline medical supplies to include:
General
- Access to a telephone
- Extremity splints
- Ice
- Oral fluid replacement
- Plastic bags
- Sling
Head and Neck/Neurologic
- Face mask removal tool (for sports with helmets)
- Semi-rigid cervical collar
- Spine board and attachments
In addition, it is desirable for the "medical bag" to include:
General
- Benzoin
- Blister care materials
- Contact lens case and solution
- 30% Ferric subsulfate solution (e.g., MonselÕs for cauterizing abrasions and cuts)
- Injury and illness care instruction sheets for the patient
- List of emergency phone numbers
- Nail clippers
- Nasal packing material
- Oto-ophthalmoscope
- Paper bags for treatment of hyperventilation
- Prescription pad
- Razor and shaving cream
- Rectal thermometer
- Scalpel
- Skin lubricant
- Skin staple applicator
- Small mirror
- Supplemental oral and parenteral
- Tongue depressors
- Topical antibiotics
Cardiopulmonary
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) drugs and equipment
- I.V. fluids and administration set
- Tourniquet
In addition, it is desirable for sideline medical supplies to include:
General
- Blanket
- Crutches
- Mouth Guards
- Sling psychrometer and temperature/humidity activity risk chart
- Tape cutter
Cardiopulmonary
- Automated external defibrillator
Head and Neck/Neurologic
- A sideline concussion assessment protocol
There are many different sports, levels of competition, and available medical resources that must all be considered when determining the on-site medical bag and sideline medical supplies.
Post-season Evaluation
Post-season evaluation of sideline coverage optimizes the medical care of injured or ill athletes and promotes continued improvement of medical services for future seasons.
The team physician should coordinate:
- Summarization of injuries and illnesses that occurred during the season
- The improvement of the medical and administrative protocols
- Implementation strategies to improve sideline preparedness
Medical Protocol
It is essential for the team physician to coordinate:
- A post-season meeting with appropriate team personnel and administration to review the previous season
- Identification of athletes who require post-season care of injury or illness and encourage follow-up
In addition, it is desirable for the team physician to coordinate:
- Monitoring of the health status of the injured or ill athlete
- Post-season physicals
- An off-season conditioning program
Administrative Protocol
It is essential for the team physician to coordinate:
- Review and modification of current medical and administra- tive protocols
In addition, it is desirable for the team physician to coordinate:
- Compilation of injury and illness data
Ongoing education pertinent to the team physician is essential. Information regarding team physician specific educational opportunities can be obtained from the six participating organizations:
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- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
11400 Tomahawk Creek Pkwy.
Leawood, KS 66211-2672
1-800-274-2237
Web Site: www.aafp.org
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- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
6300 N. River Rd.
Rosemont, IL 60018
1-800-346-AAOS
Web Site: www.aaos.org
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- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
401 W. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233
(317) 637-9200
Web Site: www.acsm.org
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- American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
11639 Earnshaw
Overland Park, KS 66210
(913) 327-1415
Web Site: www.amssm.org
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- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
6300 N. River Rd., Suite 200
Rosemont, IL 60018
(847) 292-4900
Web Site: www.sportsmed.org
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- American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine (AOASM)
7611 Elmwood Ave., Suite 201
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 831-4400
Web Site: www.aoasm.org
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Conclusion
This Consensus Statement outlines the essential and desirable components of sideline preparedness for the team physician to promote the safety of the athlete, to limit injury, and to provide medical care at the site of practice or competition. This statement was developed by the collaboration of six major professional associations concerned about clinical sports medicine issues: American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine.
Permission to reprint this statement is granted by the project-based alliance for the advancement of clinical sports medicine contingent upon the statement being reprinted in full, without alteration and on proper credit given to the alliance as shown, "Reprinted with permission of the project-based alliance for the advancement of clinical sports medicine, comprised of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine©2000".
© The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
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