It's not whether athletes win the game; it's how fit they are to compete in the first place -- emotionally, physically and mentally. While this philosophy is a stark departure
from the win-at-all-cost obsession many athletic coaches and directors have, it is what shapes the image of Jewish Hospital/Frazier Rehab Institute's sports medicine program. The
mind-body approach also distinguishes it from other sports medicine programs that are narrowly focused on the athlete's physical health and lends credibility to its advertising
tagline that tells consumers: "We can get you back in the game of life."
JH/FRI's sports medicine program is the result of a partnership, struck in 1997, between the University of Louisville, Jewish Hospital and Frazier Rehab Institute. With the
goal of offering comprehensive care, the program provides a host of preventive services that promote leading a healthy lifestyle for student athletes while delivering on-site
medical care for fans at sports events. This program model was put to the test in 1998 when JH/FRI was on hand for the grand opening of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, where on-site
medical personnel treated more than 250 fans for heat-related injuries. "That event really put us on the map in terms of generating major media coverage and laying the groundwork
for other high-profile events requesting our presence," says Linda McGinity Jackson, VP of PR, Jewish Hospital Healthcare Services. So far it has been a primary medical provider
of fan/athlete care at major sports events like the 2000 Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament and the 2000 PGA Championship. Beyond sports, it has also put its first aid
imprint on big-draw concerts.
Hitting the Highway
Success stories generated from caring for fans and keeping athletes in popular sports events are what fueled a solid word-of-mouth reputation for JH/FRI as a well-staffed,
highly responsive medical provider initially. But when the Frazier Endowment fund donated $500,000 to purchase a 40-foot medical mobile unit equipped with treatment rooms and a
portable X-ray machine last year, its marketing message racked up statewide miles. The mobile unit, known as Healthcare Express, which features an enlarged version of the JH/FRI's
print ad campaign "is like having a huge billboard on wheels," says Jackson. It also provides prominent venue signage for both the University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital,
scoreboard promotions and event marketing opportunities throughout the state. For the recent 2000 Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Freedom Hall in Louisville,
the mobile unit became a visible reminder of its ability to keep athletes in the game. Athletes received X-rays and medical treatment for various injuries and fans were given
free blood pressure screenings and health/nutritional information.
Healthcare Express also is helping the area's top employers drive home important health prevention messages to employees and meet OSHA standards. Ford, General Electric and
Brown-Foreman have requested that it make corporate pit stops, delivering a wide range of services from health screenings and fitness tests to drug testing and physical exams.
Winning in the Real World
The program's heart and soul is the comprehensive packaging of services that target the more than 550 student athletes who attend UofL and prepare them for life beyond sports.
Comprehensive medical services are offered by an interdisciplinary team of specialists, comprised of primary care physicians, orthopedists, rehab specialists, nurses, trainers and
dietitians. This team also tackles some of the more difficult medical issues that affect student athletes like eating disorders, alcohol/drug addiction and physical/sexual abuse.
"Student athletes get the message early on that emotional and mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness for maximum performance," says Julie Hermann, UofL's
senior associate athletic director.
This holistic approach to sports medicine also shapes JH/FRI's community outreach efforts. It recently teamed up with the Kentucky High School Association to do a symposium on
sudden cardiac death in athletes. And student athletes are encouraged to volunteer community service among 16 agencies in Louisville.
The net result of all this attention to preparing athletes for the real world has been international recognition and recruitment. Prior to JH/FRI's sports medicine program,
UofL tended to attract athletes from around the state. "Today they come from Croatia, Australia, San Diego and the Bronx," says Hermann.
(Linda McGinity Jackson, VP PR, Jewish Hospital Healthcare Services, 502/587-4603; Julie Hermann, UofL senior associate athletic director, 502/852-6581)
Ready
to Rumble
Promoting a healthy mind-body approach to sports medicine, JH/FRI is positioned as a national model. Key program components include:
- first aid stations to handle minor injuries from fans;
- cardinal care carts to transport injured players from the field;
- Healthcare Express, a customized 40-foot mobilie medical unit; and
- lifestyle /nutritional counseling from dietiticians and psychologists.