USA Health, Mobile County Public Schools team up for sports medicine

USA Health and Mobile County Public Schools entered into a comprehensive agreement for USA Health to be the official provider of sports medicine services for 12 public high schools in Mobile County.

“We are excited to partner with Mobile County Public Schools to sustain the health and well-being of their student-athletes and support their athletic programs,” said James Slauterbeck, M.D., chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine and a sports medicine surgeon at USA Health. “Our entire program is ready to support these students and coaches to ensure they have access to sports medicine care, avoid injury, or restore health and performance. The USA Sports Medicine team is excited about helping make the game safer for all our student-athletes by having physician and sports medicine support on the side lines for football games in Mobile County.”

USA Health will provide athletic trainers to work up to 40 hours per week at 11 MCPSS high schools, including at all teams’ practices and games. In addition, USA Health physicians will provide coverage at all 12 high schools’ home football games to assist with the immediate care of student athletes, as well as at other sporting events. USA Health will also provide and sponsor educational events and training for students and coaches on the prevention, care and management of sports injuries including concussion protocols.

The 11 high schools receiving athletic trainers are: Baker, Blount, Bryant, Citronelle, Davidson, LeFlore, Murphy, Rain, Theodore, Vigor and Williamson. Mary G. Montgomery High has its own trainer on staff as part of the school’s Signature Academy of Sports Medicine, but under this agreement it will receive services from USA physicians.

“The health and safety of our students is a top priority in Mobile County Public Schools, and that’s why we have provided athletic trainers for the past two decades,” said MCPSS Superintendent Chresal D. Threadgill. “We are proud of this new partnership with USA Health. Not only will our student-athletes be able to receive preseason physicals from USA Health at no cost, but they also will receive instruction on how to prevent and manage any injuries. If a student were to be injured on the field or court, he or she will receive immediate, top-notch care from highly trained USA Health physicians and athletic trainers.”

Shannon Scaturro, administrator for University Hospital, said, “It is our privilege and honor to serve Mobile County Public School System and ensure their student-athletes, coaches and athletic directors have access to comprehensive sports medicine services to support all of their schools. We are excited to continue to support Mobile County and the region with the highest level of care; and we want to thank the board, the school system and the broader community for their ongoing support of USA Health.”