Philadelphia Physicians will provide free comprehensive physicals for student athletes in the Philadelphia School District. Over 600 have already signed up.
June 6, 2007 (Press Release) --
Philadelphia Physicians in Student Athletes (PPSA) will provide free comprehensive physicals for student athletes in the Philadelphia School District. This program will perform over 600 physicals, 60% of the athletes in the school system, by an all-volunteer staff of doctors and nurses at the top of their fields.
All student athletes in Pennsylvania are required to receive a physical to be eligible to compete in activities. The standard physicals are satisfactory for identifying which students are healthy to participate in athletics, but may not be thorough enough to identify some potentially life-threatening conditions.
The physicals will be meticulous and will consist of: normal physical screenings, a close review of the patient's medical history, blood pressure assessment, a lung screening with a pulmonary function test (PFT), as well as an overall evaluation of the examination. These physicals will also include an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) and an onsite echocardiogram, which identifies a number of life-threatening cardiac conditions that would not have been discovered in a standard sports physical.
Dr. Jerry Steingard initiated the PPSA program after hearing that a local student died on a basketball court due to an undiagnosed medical condition. "I don't want to see any kid dropping dead from participating in athletics." Said Dr. Steingard. "Many of the students that will receive our physicals do not have proper health insurance for proper physicals, and may not have had the opportunity to have serious medical conditions identified. I want to make that opportunity available to all students."
The Philadelphia School District supports the efforts of the PPSA, "The Philadelphia School District, its High School Athletic Directors and I are extremely grateful to the PPSA and Dr. Steingard for organizing such an important medical service to our athletes,” said Robert Coleman, said Robert Coleman, Director of Athletics for the Philadelphia School District. “The physicals provided go above and beyond a normal sports physical and is a monumental step toward keeping our athletes safe and healthy at play, school and home."
This program is made possible due to the generous support of Phillips Electronics through their "Save an Athlete" program (http://www.saveanathlete.org/). Phillips has donated the use of their EKG machines for the event.
Donations are being requested to support the cause, and sponsorships are available to support this important initiative. Please contact Brian Roman at 215.235.3270 for more details on how to make a contribution.
All student athletes in Pennsylvania are required to receive a physical to be eligible to compete in activities. The standard physicals are satisfactory for identifying which students are healthy to participate in athletics, but may not be thorough enough to identify some potentially life-threatening conditions.
The physicals will be meticulous and will consist of: normal physical screenings, a close review of the patient's medical history, blood pressure assessment, a lung screening with a pulmonary function test (PFT), as well as an overall evaluation of the examination. These physicals will also include an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) and an onsite echocardiogram, which identifies a number of life-threatening cardiac conditions that would not have been discovered in a standard sports physical.
Dr. Jerry Steingard initiated the PPSA program after hearing that a local student died on a basketball court due to an undiagnosed medical condition. "I don't want to see any kid dropping dead from participating in athletics." Said Dr. Steingard. "Many of the students that will receive our physicals do not have proper health insurance for proper physicals, and may not have had the opportunity to have serious medical conditions identified. I want to make that opportunity available to all students."
The Philadelphia School District supports the efforts of the PPSA, "The Philadelphia School District, its High School Athletic Directors and I are extremely grateful to the PPSA and Dr. Steingard for organizing such an important medical service to our athletes,” said Robert Coleman, said Robert Coleman, Director of Athletics for the Philadelphia School District. “The physicals provided go above and beyond a normal sports physical and is a monumental step toward keeping our athletes safe and healthy at play, school and home."
This program is made possible due to the generous support of Phillips Electronics through their "Save an Athlete" program (http://www.saveanathlete.org/). Phillips has donated the use of their EKG machines for the event.
Donations are being requested to support the cause, and sponsorships are available to support this important initiative. Please contact Brian Roman at 215.235.3270 for more details on how to make a contribution.
Email
Print
SPAM
LEAVE A COMMENT
