Moving New England into the Future
Overview
Brittany Gustafson holds two important positions within her role at Select Physical Therapy in Farmington, Connecticut. The first is her duty as the Head Athletic Trainer for Miss Porter’s School, a private boarding school for girls in Farmington. Second is her role as the Concussion Coordinator of New England for Select PT, where she helps to bring awareness surrounding education, diagnosis, and early intervention for individuals with concussions.
The Problem
A unique aspect of Gustafson’s student-athlete population is that most live on campus as high school students. “We know injuries can happen in the dorm just as easily as on the field. So, we don’t just baseline test the athletes. We test everybody,” explained Gustafson. Working in the on-campus wellness center allows Gustafson to be available to the entire student body. “I have kids here from all over the country and all over the world, so remote testing, especially after COVID, is important.”
Implementing Sway
Gustafson thrives on minimalism. “I don’t have a ton of space to house equipment, and computer labs are becoming obsolete. I needed something better.” Students must complete their baseline test before they even step foot on campus. With Sway, Gustafson began sending out baseline instructions and videos to parents at the end of May, when the school year ended. Because each student is required to complete the Sway baseline test, Gustafson organizes the students by grade rather than by sport. “Each class has its own code and goes through the process at home. I make myself available for questions, and everything is done remotely. Since we’re remote, I can take my time and review all baseline tests to make sure they are valid before each student comes to school.”
Care at Any Hour
The students at Miss Porter’s School could be injured at any time. Gustafson is easily able to put her Sway reports into her EMR system and share information with the school health center, as well as the school’s team of neurologists. Because students live on campus, Gustafson will typically see students for a follow-up within 24-48 hours of an initial injury. Gustafson also has the benefit of working with the on-campus learning center to coordinate academic accommodations for students and athletes who may need them following an injury.
Support through Transition
One of Gustafson’s favorite things about switching to Sway has been the support she’s received throughout her transition to the product. “I love the continuing education Sway provides and the onboarding process was so easy. Some of my team has been using the same products for years, so it can be daunting to switch. But I appreciate the freedom to test my students as much as I need to without racking up a huge bill. I want the flexibility to support the students as best as I can.”