Increased Scope of Practice for Athletic Trainers? Why No Mitchell Sheinkop, MD. Ultimately, accountability for the health care of the athlete resides in the specialty of orthopedic surgery. The Team Physician Consensus Statement recently issued through collaboration of six major professional associations concerned about clinical sports medicine issues: American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine; defined the Team Physician as a Specialty Board Certified individual with an unrestricted license to practice medicine, who possesses a fundamental knowledge of emergency care regarding sporting events, who is trained in CPR, and who has a working knowledge of trauma, musculoskeletal injuries, and medical conditions affecting the athlete. Additionally, there need be demonstrated continuing medical education in sports medicine, formal training in sports medicine, involvement in teaching, research and publications relating to sports medicine, and knowledge of medical/legal, disability, and workersÕ compensation issues. The administrative and logistical duties require establishment and definition of the relationship of all parties and an integration of medical expertise with other health care providers including athletic trainers. With this background in mind, let me share with you what I learned in Washington last week when I partook in the National Orthopedic Leadership Conference,as a member of the Board of Councilors, and asked Congress as to the why behind the failure to enact patient protection legislation and the right to collectively bargain with the managed health care community? Summarized:(1) "Where are your patients on these issues, theyÕre not here petitioning with the orthopedic surgeons"(2)"Because of your inherent financial conflicts of interest in providing the best of health care, we had to enact the Stark Provisions" (3) " We will now have to concern ourselves with the pervasive issue of medical error. How are you able to hold yourselves out as the stewards of health care?" Should the Illinois State Medical Society with its partner, the Illinois Orthopedic Society now allow an increased scope of practice so psychologists might write prescriptions, optometrists might do eye surgery, podiatrists undertake care of the tibia and knee or chiropractors start doing intradiscal invasive procedures? The increased scope of practice initiative for athletic trainers introduced into the Winter session of the Illinois General Assembly, as written, would certainly have made the life or the sports medicine physician less demanding and provided increased income and more surgical patients at the same time for the collaborating orthopedic surgeon. In the attempt to increase the ATC scope of practice, the athlete is not defined nor how the increased responsibility by the non-physician is to be overseen, certified, credentialed or adjudicated. I see an abdication of responsibility for personal gain instead of a sharing of the burden for improved quality of care. Virtuousness, not redistribution of the dollar is the only circumstance that should govern a change in the health care agenda. Is the short-term gain worth the almost certain expansion of governmental intrusion in our profession to correct error, expand Stark, and pacify the patient or the parent? That is why I said "no".   Return to the IAOS Newsletter Educational Meetings and Program | Board of Directors | Residency | Find a Surgeon | Membership | Allied Association Links | Newsletter | Governmental Affairs | IAOS Main Page All material Copyright from the Illinois Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, all rights reserved.