The 2005 program seeks to perform over 400 physicals, 20% of the athletes in the school system. The all-volunteer staff of doctors and nurses at the top of their fields will be reviewing each athlete with the assistance of medical students. The physicals will be very thorough and will consist of: normal physicals screenings, close review of patient's medical history, blood pressure, lungs with a pulmonary function test (PFT), as well as an overall evaluation of the examination. These physicals will also include an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) and an onsite echocardiogram, which identifies a number of life-threatening cardiac conditions that would not have been discovered in a standard sports physical.
After hearing of a student dying on a basketball court due to an undiagnosed medical condition, the PPSA was created. "I don't want to see any kid dropping dead from participating in athletics," said Dr. Jerry Steingard, the initiator of the program. "Many of the students that will receive our physicals do not have proper health insurance for proper physicals, and may not have had the opportunity to have serious medical conditions identified. I want to make that opportunity available to all students."
The PPSA goal is to perform a physical on every student athlete in Philadelphia in 2006 and hopes one day that proper sport physicals will be available for all students in Philadelphia, and to expand the program to the entire state of Pennsylvania. With community and corporate support this can be achieved.
Donations are being requested to support the cause and sponsorships are available to support this important initiative. Please contact Brian Roman for more details.
For more information contact: Brian Roman Admark Network Inc. #4 Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row Philadelphia, PA 19130 215-235-3270 brian@admarknetwork.com
Source: Philadelphia Physicians in Student Athletics
CONTACT: Brian Roman of Admark Network, +1-215-235-3270 or
brian@admarknetwork.com, for Philadelphia Physicians in Student Athletics