Sports Medicine Policies & Procedures

Policies and procedures are a critical component of a risk management plan. They are documents that aid in carrying out clear expectations (policies) and instructions (procedures) on various sports medicine topics. By implementing written policies & procedures, organizations are able to communicate desired outcomes to employees, clarify roles and responsibilities and set a foundation for the delivery of safe and effective healthcare.

Policies	Procedures
Plans Guiding principles that press the culture, goals and philosophy Widespread application Non-negotiable, change infrequently Expressed in broad terms Are statements of what and/or why Answer major operational issues	Methods Step-by-step descriptions of the tasks required to support and carry out organizational policies Narrower focus Subject to change and continuous improvement More detailed description of activities Are statements of how, when, or who & sometimes what Detail a process

It is imperative that sports medicine programs develop and implement comprehensive policies & procedures for all potential injuries in sport. This includes policies & procedures for:

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest
• Exertional Heat Stroke
• Traumatic Head/Brain Injuries
• Exertional Collapse Associated with Sickle Cell Trait
• Lightning
• Asthma
• Anaphylaxis
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Musculoskeletal injury
• Pre-participation examinations

Below you will find example policy & procedure templates created by the Korey Stringer Institute to assist you with the initiation and development of policies & procedures.

• Exertional-Heat-Illness-Policy-Procedure (Revised 2021) 
• Lightning Template Policy & Procedures

Please note: Templates are provided by the Korey Stringer Institute, an organization housed at the University of Connecticut, as a template to assist with preliminary drafting of the above policy. Using this document and any other information (text, graphics, images or other materials) from the Korey Stringer Institute is solely at your own risk. The policies described in the templates represent best practices as interpreted by the Korey Stringer Institute at the time of drafting this document. While the Korey Stringer Institute does its best to reflect current best practices, the most appropriate policies and procedures are subject to change at and may not be directly reflected in this document. Use of this document does not constitute endorsement by the Korey Stringer Institute. Modification of the policy or procedures in this document may not reflect best practices.  All policy decisions should be reviewed by appropriate local administration prior to implementation. Any individual or organization utilizing this document should use discretion and consider the individual circumstances at their work setting.