CMC Teams With Local Physicians To Provide Free Sports Physicals

June 13, 2011

CAPITAL MEDICAL CENTER TEAMS WITH LOCAL PHYSICIANS TO PROVIDE OVER 400 FREE SPORTS PHYSICALS TO OLYMPIA AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

For Immediate Release
Date: June 13, 2011
Contact: Renee Crotty, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Phone: (360) 956-1415
Fax: (360) 956-2538

Capital Medical Center teamed up with local physicians, TOPS (Team of Providers for Students) to provide 480 free comprehensive sports physicals to students of Capital and Olympia High Schools. The sports physical clinic, which was held Saturday, June 4, 2011, was open to incoming freshman through seniors who attend high school in the Olympia School District. In its fourth year, the sports physical clinic has more than tripled in the number of physicals provided with just over 100 physicals performed the first year. The comprehensive physicals allow physicians who specialized in heart, lung, orthopedic, skin, and abdomen to do thorough examinations in their respective fields. In addition, each student received an EKG that was read by a cardiologist to ensure no heart abnormalities exist prior to participating in a sport activity. This is the second year we’ve had ImPACT™, a baseline concussion assessment. ImPACT™ testing is a computer administered test which includes measurement of attention, memory, processing speed, and reaction time. This program is used as a tool to assess and manage concussions and determine return-to-play status. The final stage of the physical process included each student sitting down with a primary care physician who performed a final evaluation of all the testing and cleared the student to participate in athletics. For many students, a free screening of this proportion would not have been an option because of the cost involved. Dr. Jon Peterson of South Sound Family Medicine and Event Chairman, commented, “The pre-participation examination is an important step in attempting to identify medical conditions that would either contraindicate or impair a student athlete’s ability to participate in athletics. This is also a great opportunity for local physicians to give back to the community in a way that everyone benefits. We are excited to see the number of participants increase each year and look forward to providing these sports physicals again in 2012.”

To hear interviews from the TOPS event, please click on the spots below:
Dr. Manista interview: