Education. Assistance. Action.

Those three words encompass the core of the Jewish Hospital/Frazier Rehab Institute's sports-medicine partnership with the University of Louisville department of athletics. Partnering to create a national sports-medicine model that focuses on the entire athlete -- both physically and mentally -- allows the program to flourish and helps develop unique programs.

It all began with a question: How could Jewish Hospital/Frazier Rehab Institute, along with its Louisville partnership, help student-athletes receive the best care possible without sacrificing students' confidentiality and privilege to play?

The partnership's Performance Team set two goals for itself: (1) to help athletes reach peak performance; and (2) to provide a safety net to those who need it.

It quickly became clear that focusing on addictions such as drugs and alcohol would not be enough. The program would have to expand its care to mental health, STDs and eating disorders as well.

There is a lot of competition out there, and the stress to stay on top or the fear of losing a position is enough to make student-athletes go to extremes. Students sometimes drastically change their diets in hopes of being able to perform better, leading to eating disorders.

Or to escape from stress, student-athletes turn to drugs and/or alcohol. This pressure causes anger issues in some athletes as well.

Since prevention is key, the Performance Team has taken steps to stop problems before they start.

The team, composed of a pain-management expert, dietitian, psychiatrist, mental-skills coach and medical review officer, works with the coaches to provide the best possible care for the athletes.

For example, new athletes are required to take a three-credit-hour course in healthy lifestyles. It covers everything from spirituality to addiction to financial management, and most importantly, how to prevent falling victim to any of them.

Twice a year, student-athletes are required to attend group meetings with a sports psychologist and a nutritionist. Student-athletes participate in a life-skills program to help them understand the importance of making the right decisions.

"Our goal is to keep the athlete healthy and in their sport while excelling in achieving their athletics and academic goals," said Joanne Berryman, Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services senior vice-president.

Also, coaches are taught what not to say to their athletes and how to address concerns to the appropriate personnel.

For example, if the coach suspects that the athlete's weight is changing, the Performance Team looks at the goals that individual has set and sees if those goals are being met. If they are not, a dietitian evaluates the student, and changes are made for that athlete's best interest.

Problem solvers

The Performance Team has even found a way to identify potential problems in the athletes.

The education factor has helped many athletes identify their own problems and come forward. But to help those athletes who might not be aware of a problem, the team has turned to the strength and conditioning coaches. These coaches spend a lot of one-on-one time with the athletes and become friends with them.

In their role as fitness coach, the student-athletes see them as an ally in achieving goals. They are coaches who don't control playing time or scholarship decisions, so their connection is special. This is why they are some of the best front-liners in the war against unhealthy decisions. The athletes know they can trust their strength and conditioning coach, therefore allowing the student to speak more freely with them.

As a result, the strength and conditioning coaches hear the locker room talk, who did what on the weekend, if a problem is persisting and if there is cause for concern. The coach is trained to know when he or she should intervene -- and many times, the athletes do not even realize they are being helped when that subtle intervention occurs.

This relationship between the athlete and the strength and conditioning coach allows for a more personalized treatment plan. It also helps catch a lot of the problems early.

"You've got to intervene early enough before it becomes a dogfight with that player or the coach and interferes with their privilege to compete," said Julie Hermann, a senior associate director of athletics at Louisville.

The plan at work

When a problem is identified, or an athlete seeks help, Burns M. Brady comes in for triage. Brady is a nationally renowned expert on addiction medicine, and he is the medical director for the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation.

After triage, Brady makes referrals to the appropriate specialists. Some of those referrals go to the Morton Center, which specializes in both outpatient and in-patient treatment programs. Professionals from there recently have teamed up with Jewish Hospital dieticians and nutritionists to train Louisville staff in recognizing eating disorder warning signs. If an athlete were to need in-patient treatment, he or she would be sent to an out-of-state facility to ensure confidentiality.

There also is a recruiting bonus. While the prospective athlete might not always be extremely concerned with prevention of and help with possible problems, their parents are.

Louisville staff members can talk to those parents about the program, and when they come for a site visit, the parents can see everything the hospital and the university are doing to ensure their child's health.

"Keeping you in the game of life," is the goal of Jewish Hospital/Frazier Rehab Institute. The Performance Team program has brought all Louisville student-athletes a little closer to that goal.

Julie Ice is the public relations manager for the Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services in Louisville, Kentucky.