Stanford Sports Medicine Case Study
The NCAA requires colleges and universities to have a pre-participation medical evaluation (PPE) process and a concussion management plan in place for all athletes participating in intercollegiate sports. The PPE includes a comprehensive medical history, family history, injury history, allergies, immunizations, and a physical exam. It is also required that this information be updated annually.
Over the course of five years, Stanford noticed a significant drop in the PPE forms they were receiving back from student athletes. For a population of 850-900 student athletes, this led to a massive workload for the athletic department in the collection and management of the multiple documents needed from each athlete. Looking to streamline this process, Stanford partnered with PRIVIT®, a software company that specializes in electronic pre-participation questionnaires (Privit Profile™). PRIVIT® was able to provide Stanford with Privit Profile™ (formerly Privit e-PPE®), an online solution that allowed student athletes to access and complete the required forms from anywhere with Internet access.
In addition to implementing Privit Profile™, Stanford developed a four step process for returning, new, and transfer students. Privit Profile™ allows for the Stanford’s sports medical staff to be able to review personal health profiles of returning, new and transfer athletes 3-6 weeks prior to team physical evaluations.
Privit Profile™ uses skip logic technology that provides relevant questions to the athletes based on their responses throughout the questionnaire. This allows for the Athletic Trainers to collect more detailed information about the athlete’s medical history than they were able to collect previously from paper forms. This allows for more efficient use of everyone’s time during the mass physicals.
In addition to Privit Profile™, Stanford has an EMR (electronic medical record) system in place, and while both systems are easy to access and navigate, Stanford has chosen to keep them separate for the time being. At the center of patient care, Stanford leverages its EMR system throughout its clinics to capture key information about a student’s current medical condition. Privit Profile™ is used solely for the pre-participation process in the athletic department for the evaluation of an athlete’s eligibility to participate in the upcoming sport seasons. Kevin Robell, MA, ATC, Associate Athletic Trainer for Stanford University, said, “Having the ability to have Privit Profile™ and an EMR has benefited our athletic department greatly! We have been able to combine the power of both tools to help us better screen our athletes for participation in sport activities. We recognize each platform has its own strengths; understanding this aspect has provided an infrastructure that we believe is ahead of the curve with respect to the pre-participation physical examination process.”
Today, Stanford has 100% of their athletes completing the necessary requirements for participating in sports. Robell attributes this success to the implementation of Privit Profile™ and the pre-participation process Stanford has put into place for its athletes.
