Should States Follow Michigan Prototype for Sports Concussions?

(Newswire.net — October 30, 2015) National Harbor, MD –As sports concussions continue to grab headlines, an ominous black hole is being revealed about how to properly “manage” them at youth and high school levels. Schools are strapped economically, preventing most athletic programs from affording tools and guidance for the mounting concussion problem.

However, the state of Michigan may have assembled an ideal prototype that other states may be following, including Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California and Ohio among others.

Working through the non-profit Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), 10,000 athletes have been entered into a new pilot program for the 2015-16 seasons, utilizing the advanced XLNTbrain Sport™ suite of concussion tests and mobile tracking tools that cost only a few dollars per year, per athlete. 

The story, and related TV news coverage here, gives a glimpse of what I propose to be the new standard of implementing concussion care at the high school level.

HOW MICHIGAN DID IT

The Michigan “prototype” involves the statewide athletic association agreeing to offer its members the XLNTbrain protocol. Through a unique sponsorship program, the schools never incur the subscription costs, while the athletes enjoy the “gold standard” of concussion management programs 

The program requires a corporation who becomes affiliated with providing greater levels of concussion care to the state(s), while benefiting from having the athletes as potential customers. That’s why the program is receiving interested from insurance companies, sports therapy clinics, pharmacies, and healthcare entities. 

The sponsorship effort is being driven by XLNTbrain’s CEO Steve Lewis, who helped create this approach to concussion care at the high school level. 

“We’ve created a pilot effort with Michigan’s High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) where a sponsoring organization finds recognition and reward for helping thousands of athletes preserve their brain health,” said Lewis, who has led several large multinational corporations through business development, branding and channel management restructuring. “Nobody has captured the state-wide concussion market from a sponsorship or co-branding perspective.”

According to Lewis, state high school athletic associations are well suited to lead the way to improve athlete health and safety setting standards in concussion recognition and care.  

In Michigan, the XLNTbrain online-based protocol began to be implemented in early August, with athletes from the pilot schools begin the concussion awareness education process that complies with state laws. The athletes then completed an advanced concussion baseline test that can be used to assess impairment of brain function after a potential injury.

The subscription-based XLNTbrain Sport™ program includes: 

• Video education that requires taking a quiz to acknowledge understanding
• Neuro-cognitive baseline testing that includes an emotional reactivity component
• Balance testing included at baseline through post-injury recovery
• Smartphone mobile sideline assessment app, with balance test
• Return-to-play recovery protocol
• Automated reporting to parents, and designated medical personnel

XLNTbrain Sport™ provides online and mobile concussion management protocols incorporating many of the best-practices and standards established by several industry organizations including the guidelines set by the National Athletic Trainers Association and American Academy of Neurology. XLNTbrain is a proud sponsor of MomsTEAM Institute and SmartTeams™. Schedule a demonstration or obtain more information by calling (703) 675-1857 or emailing info@xlntbrain.com. 

MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,500 public and private middle, junior and senior high schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. Member schools participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.

 

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About the Author: Harry Kerasidis, MD

Harry Kerasidis, M.D. is one of only a few neurologists in the world specializing in concussion detection and prevention. After 25 years treating thousands of concussions, Dr. Kerasidis created his own protocols, now molded into XLNTbrain LLC. His new book, “Concussionology: Redefining Sports Concussion Management For All Levels” outlines his concussion protocol for parents, coaches, athletic trainers, league official and medical personnel. Dr. Kerasidis also founded Chesapeake Neurology Associates, serves as Medical Director at Calvert Memorial Hospital for the Center for Neuroscience, the hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center and Stroke Center.