Certified Athletic Trainer Physician Extenders
ATCs Move from Schools into Physician Offices
Physician extenders are allied health professionals enhance physician practices through their expertise and ability to spend quality time with the patients. Physician extenders include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers.
According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), more than one quarter of its members are working in allied health settings including hospitals, clinics, and orthopedic and physician offices. This is an increase away from the traditional work settings at high schools, colleges, and universities working with predominantly young athletes.
Employment Outlook for Certified Athletic Trainers
A report from the U.S. News and World Report (December 11, 2008) stated that the “outlook for employment of ATCs is expected to grow 24% from 2006-2016, much faster than the average for all occupations”. The difference is that the job growth will be away from the traditional settings of employment and into the healthcare settings such as hospitals and offices of health care practitioners.
ATCs Gaining Employment in Physician Offices
Supporting this outlook is an article posted on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ webpage by Carolyn Rogers (AAOS Now, October 2008 issue). Rogers stated that although historically the relationship between the orthopedic surgeon and Certified Athletic Trainer has been on the sideline, the “relationship is now moving into the physician clinical setting as well”.
Although the concept of utilizing certified athletic trainers in allied health settings has been around for awhile, the demand for using ATCs in both orthopedic offices and physician offices is increasing.
Certified athletic trainers are also filling a void in medical offices left by a national health care shortage (Medical News Today, February 12, 2009). Because ATCs are educated and trained in a number of medical content areas, their expertise can increase physician productivity and efficiency.
Dr. Thomas Kohl, MD, medical director at the Comprehensive Athletic Treatment Center in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania was quoted in the American Academy of Family Physicians News Now (April 3, 2009) as stating that he employs six full-time ATCs and one part-time ATC because they “increase overall productivity and improve patient outcomes”.
Skills Utilized by ATCs in Orthopedic and Family Practice Offices
Some of the skills that ATCs can perform as physician extenders include:
- Taking a medical history
- Performing a musculoskeletal injury evaluation
- Designing rehabilitation programs
- Designing weight loss programs
- Fitting orthopedic braces
- Designing home exercise program prescription
- Casting and splinting
Because Kohl’s practice is a family medicine practice, about one quarter of his patients come in for musculoskeletal problems (aafp News Now, April 3, 2009). Kohl believes that ATCs help his practice because they can take the time and perform services that a physician does not have the time to do.
Another advantage of working with certified athletic trainers is that these medical professionals are used to working towards getting their patients (typically athletes) back on to the field or court as soon as medically possible. This mindset transfers well into working with active patients in the allied health setting.
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