CHAMP vs. Phoenix Reviewed for Athletic Training Contract at Clarion Area

Ron Wilshire

Published May 11, 2018 4:45 am

CHAMP vs. Phoenix Reviewed for Athletic Training Contract at Clarion Area

CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Clarion Area School District Michael Stahlman asked his school board on Tuesday to make a decision on what company will be providing athletic services for students in 2018-19 and give him the approval to start negotiations with that company.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued earlier, and two companies responded with proposals from a division of Clarion Rehab called CHAMP (Clarion Hospital Athletic Medicine Program) and Phoenix Rehabilitation and Health Services, Inc.

“We won’t have a contract to vote on tonight, but we’ll do that next month,” said Stahlman. “Give me some direction on whom to negotiate that contract with.”

“Clarion’s Clarion Rehab’s first-year number is a one year-renewable up to three year’s contract is $31,895.00. Phoenix’s first-year number was $31.000.00, so there’s an $895.00 difference. Marina Kondas is here tonight from Phoenix Rehab.”

Kondas said she was at the meeting to answer any questions about what Phoenix has to offer. During questioning, she said Phoenix doesn’t have any certified athletic trainers, but the Clarion office does have two certified physical therapists.

“As a physical therapist, I’m not a licensed athletic trainer, but I have another physical therapist at Clarion,” said Kondas. “We’re licensed physical therapist — We’re not ATCs. Don’t have a backup, but we do have two Phoenix facilities in the area, Clarion and Brookville.”

Kondas said if her company was hired, she would talk to the current trainer.

“We were interested in talking to the current school trainer, but I have not had any contact with him. There are a lot of qualified athletic trainers out there, and my first task, if selected, would be to see if he is interested. We’ve been in business for 19 years, and it’s a physical therapy owned company, and I’m the representative of the Clarion area.”

Kondas appreciates the importance of continuity care.

“The only difference would be, in my mind, is that Phoenix would be your primary care person there.”

Asked about a doctor on staff, she said, “We don’t have a licensed medical doctor on our payroll, but I work within the hospital community.”

Clarion Rehab has Dr. Thomas Freenock for the CHAMP program.

Board member Zachary Shekell questioned about the current service, Clarion Rehab, having eight or nine athletic trainers to fill in for any vacancies and asked about the capabilities of Phoenix.

“I do not have that capability, but I do not think it would be less than the current service,” said Kondas. “We do not yet provide the service to any other school district.”

Seth Babington owner of Clarion Rehab talked at the April board meeting about the RFP.

“Clarion Rehab and CHAMP has provided athletic trainer services for the Clarion Area School District and its sports teams for the last 25 years since 1993. The contract has been renewed on a year-by-year basis.”

“CHAMP is the only sports medicine program in the area, according to Babington. The staff consists of 25 full time and ten part-time employees, six of which are athletic trainers. Clarion Area currently pays $31,907.00 to CHAMP for the 2017-18 academic year.”

“Numerous healthcare studies have shown that continuity of care, which is when the same practitioner always sees the same patients, leads to better outcomes, higher quality of care, and excellent patient satisfaction ratings,” said Babington.

A unanimous vote authorized Stahlman to enter into contract negotiations with Clarion Rehab/CHAMPS and come back with a finalized contract for providing athletic services for voting at the June 15 meeting. Voting for the contract was Julie Hartley, Hugh Henry, Melissa Anderson, Todd Bauer, Shane Kriebel, Julie McCormick, Zachary Shekell, and Braxton White.

Partisan School Boards?

In another matter, Braxton White, the board legislative representative, discussed legislation making its way through Harrisburg that would not allow school board candidates to cross-file in primary elections. Currently, candidates can file as both a Democrat and Republican for the election. There is some concern that this will promote partisan politics because if one particular party is stronger it could guarantee that the opposing party is never elected.