Health Care Reform and Its Impact on Athletic Training Part II: Probable Effects of Health Care Reform

摘要

The role that ATs have historically fulfilled in high school and college athletic programs could be recognized as beneficial for new models of health care service delivery. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) may view sports medicine programs as a means to enhance the quality of life realized by their enrolled populations. This could result in ACOs employing ATs, which would establish formal affiliations with physician specialists. It may also expand emerging settings opportunities for ATs.The traditional practice of a local physician volunteering personal time to serve as a team physician for an athletic program may be ending soon, as the financial incentives for physicians to perform in such a role are reduced.