NATA Now

Health care systems and private clinics are in the midst of Stage 2 Meaningful Use implementation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Incentive Programs.  As hospitals and private clinics navigate these requirements, many questions arise around the athletic trainer and their role in the ever-changing landscape of health care.  As an athletic trainer, you should be prepared to talk to your current or potential employer about this issue. NATA has developed resources (detailed below) to help educate and support you in these conversations.
 

The NATA Research & Education Foundation is committed to encouraging research among athletic trainers who can contribute to the athletic training knowledge base. A strategy for achieving this goal is to provide formal recognition for outstanding athletic training researchers. To that end, the NATA Foundation has established an awards program to acknowledge and reward those individuals whose work helps fulfill that goal.
 

Congratulations to District Three for winning the Safe Sports Championship! A total of 21 schools in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers' Association were named Safe Sports Schools during the contest period, which made them the clear champions. 
 

The 2015 Presidential Election is now open for all certified members! Check your email for a message from elections@vote-now.com containing your secure registration code and instructions for voting online or using a phone ballot. (If your member profile does not include an email address, you will receive a postcard this week.) If you prefer to vote using a paper ballot, the email or postcard will provide a phone number to request one.
 

The NATA Presidential Election is quickly approaching, and it’s the perfect time to learn more about the two candidates: Russ Richardson, EdD, ATC, and Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC. 
 

You should be receiving your special combined August/September issue of the NATA News in your mailbox soon! If you haven't received your hard copy yet, it's already available online.
 

The Gatorade Company has been a proud partner of NATA for 30 years and during this tenure has worked closely with athletic trainers in the secondary school setting to help ensure athletes receive the highest-quality care.  This commitment is driven by the company’s belief that athletic trainers are critical to the health and safety of high school athletes and that their importance is often overlooked.
 

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but Texas is H-O-T right now. The fall sports seasons are in full swing, and many athletes are practicing and competing in triple digit temperatures.
 

By Jeremy Hawkins, PhD, ATC

I have three boys who love to play baseball.  As a parent who tries to be involved as much as possible in their individual pursuits, I am at times asked to do things tha are out of my comfort zone; umpiring a baseball game has been one of those things. However, serving in this role has helped me to see being an athletic training student in a new light.