Tru Mark returned from the Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NSIAA) Fall Convention in Kearney, NE where personnel were introduced to a number of new products and services.

Doug Adams from Screening America, Sioux Falls, SD, discussed a new service his company is offering to try and reduce the number of sudden cardiac death, or what many say is caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Media reports continue to highlight this health issue associated with youth sports.

The company's concept is to schedule screenings at local venues such as schools, churches, and community activity centers, to conduct a typical protocol done which in the past completed in a heart specialist's office. In an office setting technicians hook up the participant with monitoring equipment. Now a Screening America team of technicians come out to the local venue and collects the health data electronically directly from the patient. Once the data is collected it is then forwarded to a certified cardiologist for a reading and an initial valuation. The participate is notified with the test results and if necessary recommended to follow-up with a provider for further consultation.

The company is looking for cardiologists, especially in the Nebraska region, to conduct the reading and initial valuations.

They are looking for a minimum of 15 participants to schedule local screenings and they are currently offering a "full" screening for $79.00. Doug mentioned that communities, especially with several schools in the near vicinity are working together to host the screenings.

There are several different economic and health trends that are being introduced by this firm that will likely start showing up in other sports health areas. With the health equipment becoming smaller and the data digitally recorded more and more services are being offered in mobile settings versus a fixed infrastructure setting. Also once the data has been collected it can be delivered to almost any location that is connected by the internet. This allows doctors and medical technicians to provide more services for patients that are not in their facility. Also more services can be provided to more customers without large equipment and facility investments.

Labels: Sports, Trends