‘OK to Play’ initiative urges teens get annual checkups
The Center Foundation’s “OK to Play” initiative encourages teens to visit their primary care provider for an annual check-up (also known as a well child visit), rather than having a standalone sports physical to be ready for team sports and activities.
The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of annual well child visits over sports physicals largely due to the expanded scope of the check-up, which includes physical and developmental assessments, preventative care plans, and important conversations with teens about stress, anxiety and risky behaviors.
The Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) requires that students provide completed School Sports Pre-Participation Examination paperwork prior to participating in OSAA-sanctioned sports. The Oregon Health Authority, through the Coordinated Care Organizations, aims to increase well child visits in teens in order to achieve a higher standard of healthcare and establish good health practices as they move toward adulthood. Students having an annual well child visit with their primary care provider achieve both of these objectives in one important check-up.
“Having a sports physical as a standalone visit with a provider that you don’t usually see has its limitations,” says Donna Mills, executive director for the Central Oregon Health Council. ” A sports physical is a screening tool for sports participation, but should not be a replacement for an overall health and wellness check-up. Annual check-ups include preventative health and immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, growth and developmental milestones, and important discussions about stress, anxiety, and depression. For optimal health, teens should have a check-up with a primary care provider each year. ”
Most insurance plans cover well child visit annually, including the Oregon Health Plan ( OHP ), while standalone sports physicals are limited in scope and an additional cost to families.
“The Center Foundation has been providing free medical care on the field of play for student-athletes for nearly twenty years,” said Sonja Donohue, executive director for The Center Foundation. ” Knowing that students have benefited from a comprehensive health and wellness exam prior to participating in sports, provides more robust care at no additional cost. Our goal is to ensure students and their families are aware of this incredible benefit. ”
As part of the program, The Center Foundation is coordinating outreach to pediatric and primary care physicians throughout Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. This initiative is provided by grant funding from the Central Oregon Health Council and includes providing materials, messaging, and clearance forms to student-athletes and their parents. Many physicians and clinics throughout Central Oregon have committed to the OK to Play initiative and the higher standard of care for Central Oregon teens.
For more information, visit www.oktoplaysports.org or call 541-322-2398.
About The Center Foundation
The Center Foundation provides certified athletic trainers to Central Oregon high schools, serving more than 8,000 students at over 760 sporting events per year, managing injuries and concussions, and educating young athletes on injury prevention. These services are provided at no cost to students or their families. Foundation programs also deliver brain and spinal cord injury prevention education in grade schools, free multi-sport helmets to children in need, and education seminars and conferences for healthcare professionals. Since 2001, The Center Foundation has been Central Oregon’s only nonprofit solely dedicated to providing sports medicine services as a means to ensure youth are safe, healthy, and protected in an active lifestyle. To learn more visit www.centerfoundation.org.
About Central Oregon Health Council
Central Oregon Health Council ( COHC ) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt public and private community governance entity. The COHC is dedicated to improving the health of the region and providing oversight of the Medicaid population and Coordinated Care Organization (CCO). Created by Senate Bill 204 in 2011, COHC promotes the health of the region’s residents and seeks to achieve the Triple Aim of improving health outcomes, increasing satisfaction with the health system, and reducing cost. To learn more visit cohealthcouncil.org .
