DECEMBER 2019 THE RIDER /53


Canada's HeadCheck optimizing concussion safety at US racetracks


MedStar Health, Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund, and Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association tailor HeadCheck Health system to improve real-time communication within and between racetracks


MARYLAND (December 10, 2019) - MedStar Health, in conjunction with Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund (DJHWF), and Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA), today announced a new partner- ship with software company HeadCheck Health to launch an industry-specific electronic injury tracking system with a focus on opti- mizing concussion safety and medical care at race- tracks.


Horse racing is one of


the most dangerous sports for athletic injury with con- cussions accounting for about 8 to 15 percent of equestrian-related injuries, according to a 2017 Paulick Report article. To improve the level of care jockeys re- ceive, the sports medicine team at MedStar Health used their experience with professional sports teams to create the Horsemen’s Health System. This service included the development and implementation of a sport-specific concussion protocol and return-to-ride protocol for any jockey that sustains a suspected concus- sion.


“We originally reached


out to HeadCheck looking for a way to share baseline tests between Delaware and Maryland racetracks in a HIPAA compliant way,” said Robert Colton, Admin- istrator of the Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund (DJHWF). “Since then, we’ve realized that HeadCheck can be a solu- tion to some of the safety challenges in our industry for many years.” With the expertise and


guidance of MedStar Health, MTHA, DJHWF, and others, HeadCheck Health created a new robust, dynamic, electronic injury tracking system focused on addressing the unique chal- lenges of implementing and mandating concussion pro- tocols at independent race- tracks.


HeadCheck is a secure


HIPAA compliant system that will help improve track management by allowing clear and immediate com- munication of suspected in- juries and jockey status. This program will help en- sure nothing slips through the cracks and all jockeys receive appropriate care be- fore returning to ride. In the case of a suspected concus- sion, track staff can now easily report the incident and collect important infor- mation to help medical pro- fessionals to make a better evidence-based diagnosis. Racetracks will have high- level access to monitor the progress of each injured jockey. The system can be effectively adapted to the specific resources at each


oughbred Horsemen’s Asso- ciation is the officially au- thorized organization that represents, assists, and pro- motes the interests of Mary- land’s Thoroughbred owners and trainers. Mem- bership in the MTHA is au- tomatically extended to all licensed Maryland owners and trainers.


About HeadCheck Health, Inc.


HeadCheck Health


bridges gaps in concussion care through simple, power- ful technology. Organiza- tions like the Canadian Football League, Trek Fac- tory Racing, the Canadian Junior Hockey League, Eastern Washington Univer- sity, and Volleyball Canada rely on HeadCheck to im- prove communication, ad- vance athlete recovery, and optimize care. Visit head- checkhealth.com for more.


racetrack. “We’re very excited to


be working with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable minds in the industry to develop a system specific to horse racing,” said Eric VanderHelm, Proj- ect Lead for HeadCheck Health. “We’ll continue to quickly iterate and update the system based on feed- back and data analysis to make sure jockeys can re- ceive the care they deserve.” The pilot program was


launched on November 22, 2019 at Laurel Park under the direction of Dr. Kelly


Ryan, sports medicine physician for MedStar Health and Medical Director for the Horsemen’s Health System at Maryland Race- tracks, with the goal of na- tionwide rollout to follow. To learn more, visit


headcheckhealth.com/hhp or contact Eric VanderHelm directly


at


evanderhelm@headcheck- health.comor (604) 373- 0035.


About MedStar Health At MedStar Health, we


use the best of our minds and the best of our hearts to


serve our patients, those who care for them, and our communities. Our 30,000 associates and 4,700 affili- ated physicians are commit- ted to living this promise through our core SPIRIT values—Service, Patient first, Integrity, Respect, In- novation, and Teamwork— across our more than 300 locations including 10 hos- pitals, ambulatory, and ur- gent care centers. As the medical education and clin- ical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar Health is training future physician leaders to care for the whole


person, and is advancing care through the MedStar Health Research Institute. From our telemedicine and urgent care services to the region’s largest home health agency, we’re committed to providing high-quality health care that’s also easy and convenient for our pa- tients. At MedStar Health— It’s how we treat people. Learn more at Med- StarHealth.org.


About Maryland Thor- oughbred Horsemen’s As- sociation The Maryland Thor-


About Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund The Delaware Jockeys


Health and Welfare Fund is a State of Delaware man- dated program funded for the health and other welfare benefits for active, disabled, and retired jockeys. The program has been nationally recognized for its proactive health and safety programs including contracting with Premier Physical Therapy and Sports Performance for providing a certified athletic trainer with a treatment room inside the jockeys’ room.


Summer Horsepacking Courses for Outdoor Enthusiasts at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education


UC Davis Continuing and


Professional Education’s popular summer horsepacking courses are now available. Featuring two unique outdoor adventures that take participants into the Califor- nia wilderness on horseback, these courses offer a once-in-a- lifetime adventure. Track wild horses and relive


the Old West in the seldom-vis- ited Pizona area of Inyo National Forest with the four-day course, Mustangs: A Living Legacy. From a central meadow camp, riders track mustangs in their nat- ural pinyon forest habitat and


learn the social behavior of the horses and their current struggle. The trip runs from June 13-16 and is a special opportunity to enjoy a rustic outdoor adventure and a unique educational experi- ence, exploring the biology, ecol- ogy and behavior of a proud and beautiful animal—the North American wild horse. Download the itinerary. Mountain Horsemanship:


Veterinary Care and Horsepack- ing in the Wilderness is a deluxe seven-day pack trip that covers the essentials of horsepacking in the wilderness—with the Golden


Visit www.therider.com


Trout Wilderness of the High Sierra as your laboratory. The in- structor will discuss equipment, emergency veterinary care, feed- ing and managing livestock in the backcountry. Trip runs from July 12-18. Download the itinerary. Plus, if you live in an area


prone to natural disasters, such as wildfires or flooding, and you own a horse or other large ani- mal, consider UC Davis Contin- uing and Professional Education’s course Animal Res- cue in Disaster Planning in Davis on May 15. Topics include crisis management principles and les-


sons learned from previous disas- ters, as well as the relationship between the volunteer animal community, first responders and local government. For more information or to


enroll, call (800) 752-0881, email cpeinfo@ucdavis.edu or visit our website.


About UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education For nearly 60 years, the UC


Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education has blended the distinctive academic expertise of UC Davis with prac-


tical training that immediately improves capability and job per- formance. This “Career Curricu- lum” supports working professionals as they refresh and expand job skills over the course of their careers. With 63,000 annual enroll-


ments in classroom and online university-level courses and


more than 220,000 students on Coursera, UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education serves lifelong learners in the growing Sacramento region, all 50 states and more than 100 countries.


Visit: www.theridermarketplace.com


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