COMMUNICATION RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TEAM PHYSICIAN

For a team to receive optimal medical care, the team
physician and trainer must communicate openly and
clearly. Even before the season, they need to discuss
medical treatment protocols, which preferably are
documented in writing (Rice, 2002). When an injury
occurs there can be no confusion over who will go on
the field for initial evaluation and who will communicate
to the coach the extent of an athlete’s injury and
playing status.


A team physician needs to develop good rapport with
the coach. Offering injury prevention suggestions and
player health education may demonstrate to the coach
a shared desire to assist the team attaining their goals.
Most importantly, a team physician must keep the
coach informed of an injured player’s ability to continue
to compete safely. Without breaching player
confidentially, the team physician should provide the
coach a timeframe for further evaluation or the
player’s return. In general, this should be communicated
in terms of a sport-specific timeline, such as: the
player is out for a play, out for a series, reassessment
will be done at half-time or game’s end, or the player
is likely lost for the remaining part of the season.


A team physician may also be required to discuss a
player’s medical condition with the school officials.
Administrators often need to know specifics regarding
physician recommendations: how long will the player
miss class or be in the hospital. They seldom need to
know medical or personal details of the athlete’s situation.
Remember that the athlete’s confidentiality is
the first concern. Members of the media rarely, if ever,
need information from the team physician.


Well-defined criteria for dealing with the media should
be established. If a team physician is encouraged to
participate in an interview, insist that written questions
be submitted before-hand so that appropriate remarks
can be constructed for the record. These planned
responses can be reviewed with team coaches, trainers,
and administrators to ensure their consistency, accuracy,
and regard for the athlete’s privacy.


A team physician may need to discuss an athlete’s medical
condition with his parents, especially if working
with minors. It may be beneficial to send a letter to
parents prior to the season, describing the role of the team
physician and the continued importance of their personal
primary care physician to the athlete’s overall health.


As mentioned above, the team physician coordinates
specialty care as medically indicated. In doing so, he
or she should provide the pertinent information necessary
to the respective medical consultant’s care and
receive written documentation of recommendations
from medical specialists.