ThedaCare Orthopedics Plus

About ThedaCare Orthopedics Plus

ThedaCare is a community health system consisting of three hospitals, Appleton Medical Center (Appleton, WI), Theda Clark Medical Center (Neenah, WI) and New London Family Medical Center (New London, WI).


In March, 2003, ThedaCare was named the 22nd best integrated delivery system in the USA by Verispan. In 2002, ThedaCare was ranked 22nd; 17th in 2001; 23rd in 2000.

In July, 2003, for the second year in a row, ThedaCare was named by the American Hospital Association?s ?100 Most Wired? designation for its use of information technology.

In September 2003, Theda Clark Medical Center was named as a ?Consumer Choice Hospital? for the second year in a row by the National Research Corporation Appleton Medical Center, which also won the award in 2002, was a close 2nd. The designation is based on consumer perceptions of overall quality.

In September, 2003, Appleton Medical Center was named for the fifth time as being among the 100 Top Hospitals? in the nation by Solucient Inc. Theda Clark Medical Center as won this award four times. New London Family Medical Center has been a 100 Top Hospital three times.

The ThedaCare Orthopedics Plus is the cutting edge commitment that ThedaCare has made to combine all of its musculoskeletal services into one program. Sports Medicine is one of the key components of Orthopedics Plus. Our investment in the implementation of the ImPACT program is one of the many initiatives designed to provide World Class quality to the athletes we serve.

Schools Using ImPACT

Appleton North High School, Appleton East High School, Appleton West High School, Neenah High School, Menasha High School, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Fox Valley Lutheran, St. Mary Central and New London High School

Community Work and Involvement

ThedaCare Orthopaedics Plus provides Licensed Athletic Training services to eight local high schools and one college. We also provide medical coverage for numerous hockey tournaments, soccer tournaments as well as a semi-professional soccer team. We also provide educational programming to coaches, parents and athletes through numerous community lectures and smaller school based education session on topics from 'Managing Sports Related Concussions', 'Identifying and Preventing Sports Injuries', 'The Management of Cervical Spine Injuries and Spine Boarding' as well as many others.

ImPACT History:

In April, 2001, ThedaCare Sports Medicine co-sponsored a presentation by Dr. Michael Collins in Appleton, Wisconsin at which he presented on 'New Developments in the Management of Sports Related Concussions'. Soon after his presentation, we implemented the ImPACT program in four of the local high schools for whom we provide sports medicine services. Since then we have expanded the ImPACT program into two additional schools and are working to implement it into two more very soon. ThedaCare was the first Sports Medicine program to implement ImPACT testing of high school athletes in the state of Wisconsin. Our use of the ImPACT test results has not been limited to only determining severity of concussion in athletes. We also use the test results to advocate for student athletes that may be suffering academically immediately following their concussion. By providing objective information on the neuropsychological deficits of these student-athletes to teachers and school counselors, we assist the students with getting back on track not only athletically by scholastically as well.

In January 2003 we received two grants totaling $36,000 from the Appleton Medical Center Foundation and the Theda Clark Medical Center Foundation. These grants allowed us to purchase thirty laptop computers to assist in the implementation of the ImPACT program to athletes throughout the region we serve. This has allowed us to move closer to our goal of providing the best possible care for athletes sustaining a sports related concussion. The ImPACT program has given us an objective tool to better evaluate the level of cognitive impairment athletes sustain following a concussion and ensuring that they are able to return to sport safely once the side effects of their concussion return to normal.

Now, thousands of athletes later, we look forward to helping other sports medicine programs implement computerized neuropsychological testing. We plan to host the first Wisconsin Sports Concussion Conference, slated for May 6,2004. Our hope is to educate physicians, athletic directors and coaches through out the state of Wisconsin on the importance of properly managing concussions and providing a support system for Licensed Athletic Trainers looking to implement programs such as ImPACT within their schools.

Dr. Mark Hallett and Tracy McCormick, ATC have spoken locally and regionally on concussions. They recently spoke at the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association conference held March 16-18, 2006 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Local Articles:

A software system is revolutionizing concussion treatment by eliminating the guesswork and risk. Wisconsin Post Crescent

http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/life_6709557.shtml


NEW PROGRAM TAKES AIM AT SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS - AMC Foundation Grant has ImPACT for High School Athletes. AMC Foundation Website

http://amcfoundation.org/march__2002.html

Haze of uncertainty
Head injury, post-concussion syndrome have changed Tosa West student-athlete's life

http://www.wauwatosanow.com/sports/43423377.html