Community Sports Clubs should look for a balance between efficiency in the administration of the platform, legal protection and athlete safety.
Any platform must act as a connection between athletes, trainers and coaches.
Core Requirements include:
Security and Compliance
- Compliance - Any platform must meet privacy laws to ensure safe storage of information.
- Role-Based Access Control - Only relevant people should have access to athlete details. Access to athlete information should be limited to the role an official has with the club.
Comprehensive Concussion Protocol Support
- Minimum Protocols - the AIS Concussion Protocol should be supported at a minimum
- Assessment - Platforms should support the assessment framework (like CRT6) to provide a clear outcome of any assessment. Any additional assessments, such as a symptom severity (AFL) should also be supported
- Monitor - the ability to monitor the athlete’s recovery by the trainer, parents and the athlete should also be a priority, to ensure the athlete's recovery is on track. The ability to identify where an athlete's symptoms are getting worse or not improving as expected is also highly regarded.
- Athlete Involvement - Athletes assist with the monitoring and management of the concussion by being actively involved in their own injury. This may be by daily check-ins.
- Management - a plan on what stage the athletes recovery is in, what activities they are permitted to do and on what date, is highly desirable. Projected and actual dates help manage and monitor recovery, and help guide all those involved navigate through the protocol to ensure the safe return of the athlete.
The ability to load medical clearances against the athlete’s injury, not only to allow the club to complete their due diligence and compliance obligations, but the athlete has access to important documentation regarding their injury.
Portability and Mobile Function. Injuries rarely happen sitting at a desk, they happen on the field, court or track.
- Side Line Access - a mobile app that allows trainers to not only record injuries when and where they happen, but have access to Athlete details (age & gender) Emergency Contacts, Allergies and any Pre-existing Medical Conditions. Critical when an ambulance is needed.