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Athletic Health Care Teams: Many Component Parts

To help middle and high schools and private- and community-based youth sports organizations (YSOs) provide appropriate medical care to secondary-school-aged adolescents in sports, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) recently issued a Summary Statement calling for schools and YSOs to establish, in consulation with administrators, coaches, parents and athletes, athletic health care teams (AHCTs) to approach the issue of athletic injuries in a comprehensive way.

The NATA recommends that the AHCT include the following medical professionals:

  • Medical physician director*
  • Certified athletic trainers*
  • Emergency medical services personnel
  • School physicians
  • Primary care providers (e.g. pediatricians, family practice, nurse practitioners)
  • Consulting and other physicians
  • Physical therapists
  • Registered dieticians
  • Dentists
  • Public health officials
  • Public safety personnel
  • Other allied health care professionals
  • Students and trainees in the above disciplines.
* Denotes core members of the AHCT

On-site personnel (sponsoring organization administrators, parents, coaches, athletes)  interact with the AHCT through the certified athletic trainers and EMS personnel.