DEERFIELD, Ill. — Take Care Clinics have added concussion education as part of their annual camp, back-to-school and sports physicals.
Walgreen Co., parent of Take Care Clinics, said Thursday that the concussion education includes take-home materials with information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stresses concussion prevention, the need to recognize symptoms reported by athletes, and the need for parents and guardians to know the warning signs.
All camp, back-to-school and sports physical exams at Take Care Clinics will now include concussion education at no extra cost, Walgreens said. The physicals, regularly $60, are available at a reduced price of $39 through Sept. 30 as part of a limited offer.
"These physicals represent a valuable opportunity for families to meet with a trusted health care professional who can screen patients for undetected health conditions, identify children that may be at risk for injury and provide important health and wellness information and advice," Heather Helle, divisional vice president for Walgreens’ consumer solutions group, said in a statement. "The inclusion of concussion education and awareness as part of our annual physicals follows our recent overall expansion of health care services."
Citing recent research from the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Walgreens noted that concussion rates in youth sports have doubled over the past decade, with high school athletes sustaining an estimated 300,000 concussions per year. Other research shows that for people ages 15 to 24, sports are the second-leading cause of traumatic brain injury behind car accidents, the drug chain said.
"Helping parents and athletes to know the signs of concussion symptoms and how to tell when immediate medical attention is needed is crucial," stated Sandra Ryan, chief nurse practitioner officer and clinical advocate for Take Care Clinics, which have 370 locations in Walgreens drug stores nationwide. "Our nurse practitioners and physician assistants can play an important role in providing this information."
