How does an Athletic Trainer Save you Money?

If you’re an athletic director or other school admin, you’ve likely engaged in the painstaking process of putting together a budget for the next school year. But how does an athletic trainer save you money?

If you’re getting pushback on the cost of athlete safety or hiring athletic trainers, here a few articles you can present that detail the consequence—legally and financially—of not having athletic trainers or spending adequately on athlete safety.

But you still face the question of a budget.

You already know that it’s not acceptable to host student-athletes without an athletic trainer, but now you’re armed with the proof behind the financial and risk saving costs of having a full-time athletic trainer:

→ Risk mitigation–what does an AT bring to the table?

  • Injury evaluation, prevention services, treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning completed in-house. That means your students are getting the right care, and not missing school to see another provider.

  • Emergency Action Planning + Care Policies: planning for the unexpected improve outcomes in critical situations. An institution without an EAP can be found to be negligent in cases of catastrophic injuries.

  • Coordination of Care: If a student does need to see a specialist, your athletic trainer provides the initial differential diagnosis with accompanying context and notes that are sent to the physician. This saves your families time and money.

  • Consulting for program improvements + implementation of improvements: Athletic trainers are not only educated in medical care, but also building a sustainable medical program at your school. Improved resources and recommendation for facility adjustments will also save the school time and money in the future.

→ AT services in house = deferred costs 

  • Containment of school’s liability insurance premiums 

  • Reduction of cost to students’ families (co-pays, bills, hospital visits, rehab)

  • Decreased visits to ER & activation of EMS 

  • Decreased absenteeism due to injury, rehab and/or medical appointments 

→ Case Studies & Applied Value 

Go4’s case study of a high school with diverse student population highlights the cost-savings for the schools and families in just two month of having a full-time athletic trainer. While ATs can’t bill for services rendered in most cases, we compared the reimbursement rates for the same services to give an estimated value of deferred costs. Check out the case study below:

  • California:
    • HS in northern California, 1400 students
    • AT recorded 585 encounters in Feb & Mar
    • Estimated total cost of services in Feb & Mar = $70,141.61

February 2022

TreatmentCodeCost Per UnitUnitsTotal
Evaluation, low complexity97161$120.7168$8,208.28
Re-evaluation97164$84.3110$843.10
Massage therapy97124$37.141$37.14
Neuromuscular Re-education97112$41.5228$1,162.56
Therapeutic Exercises97110$35.5271$2,521.92
Strapping; ankle and/or foot29540$33.1785$2,819.45
Strapping; elbow or wrist29260$35.9315$538.95
Strapping; hand or finger29280$35.4728$993.16
Patient education97530$46.18245$11,314.10
$28,438.66

March 2022

TreatmentCodeCost Per UnitUnitsTotal
Evaluation, low complexity97161$120.7174$8,932.54
Re-evaluation97164$84.3115$1,264.65
Massage therapy97124$37.142$74.28
Neuromuscular Re-education97112$41.5277$3,197.04
Therapeutic Exercises97110$35.52212$7,530.24
Strapping; ankle and/or foot29540$33.17115$3,814.55
Strapping; elbow or wrist29260$35.9345$1,616.85
Strapping; hand or finger29280$35.4740$1,418.80
Patient education97530$46.18300$13,854.00
$41,702.95

Are you a school or organization looking to hire a full-time athletic trainer? Complete this 1-minute consultation and the Go4 team will reach out within one business day!

For more information on Go4 Contract Services, visit www.go4.io/go4hc