Service Utilization and Value at an Athletic Training Student Run Clinic for University Employees and Students

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Athletic Training
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Student-run health clinics (SRHC) offer clinical experience and community healthcare.
• Athletic Training SRHCs (AT-SRHCs) show promise for patient outcomes and satisfaction.
• Limited data exists on conditions treated, services offered, and value of AT-SRHCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To track the utilization of athletic training services at a free, university-based AT-SRHC.
• To identify common conditions, body areas, and services provided.
• To estimate the value of services rendered.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of data from September 2022 to May 2024.
• Analysis of 97 patients (50 employees, 47 students) at a university-based AT-SRHC.
• Extracted data included demographics, injury details, and Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes; descriptive analysis was performed.

Main Results:

• Sixty-four percent of available appointment sessions were booked.
• Most common injured areas were the knee (23.9%), shoulder (21.1%), and thigh (11.9%).
• Top diagnoses included sprains/strains (46.8%) and overuse conditions (16.5%); therapeutic exercise was the most utilized service (CPT code).

Conclusions:

• AT-SRHCs were utilized by a segment of the campus population in their initial 2 years.
• The study offers preliminary insights into AT-SRHC service use and economic value.
• Establishing AT-SRHCs can enhance affordable care access and student clinical training.