Topic: Sports Physicals

In the sports medicine field, the sports physical exam is known as a preparticipation physical examination (PPE). The exam helps determine whether it is safe for you to participate in a certain sport. Most states actually require that kids and teens have a sports physical before they can start a new sport or begin a new competitive season. But even if a sports physical is not required, doctors still highly recommend getting one.

Case Study
The administration of the local critical access hospital has asked the practitioner to organize a community service program to conduct sports physicals for local junior high and high school athletes at no cost to the student. The practitioner has the use of the usual physician office space or the facilitys large meeting space and will recruit physicians, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, and medical technicians to conduct the sports physicals. Based on a survey of nearby school districts, the administration expects to serve 100 to 150 student athletes over the 2 days the physicals will be offered.

Case Questions

Which format would most effectively serve the needs of the students in this program? Include consideration of the space chosen for conducting the program.
Which space would be most appropriate to use for the program and why?
What are the drawbacks to the assembly-line format?
Which physical examination focus points could the nursing staff and medical technicians be assigned to complete?
When the practitioner is preparing to advertise the program being offered, the local newspaper asks the practitioner to identify three of the main objectives of the sports physicals for an article. How would the practitioner respond?