EMORY AND BRAVES TEAM UP FOR HEALTHY SEASON FOR TURNER FIELD VISITORS


April 16, 1997


Media Contacts: Sarah Goodwin, 404/727-5686 -- sgoodwi@emory.edu
http://www.emory.edu/WHSC/







EMORY HEALTHCARE has been chosen by the Atlanta Braves to be the health care provider at Turner Field for the next three years.



Emory nurses and physicians staff and maintain First Aid stations in the stadium and are available to provide all first aid and emergency and related medical services required by the approximately 40,000 people who attend each game as well as Braves and Turner Field employees.



The First Aid Stations are coordinated by Barbara Sverdlik, R.N., director of Nursing for Emergency and Community Services, Emory Hospitals, and the Emory nurse director who had oversight of Crawford Long Hospital's health care involvement with the 1996 Olympic Games.



Ms. Sverdlik recruits nurses -- at least three for each of the 81 home games -- from Emory University Hospital and Crawford Long Hospital nursing staff. Emergency medicine specialist Stephen Holbrook, M.D., and family practice physician Wayne Blount, M.D., medical director of The Emory Clinic at South DeKalb, are the Emory physicians responsible for establishing and overseeing guidelines for the care provided at Turner Field. They are recruiting physicians -- at least one for each game -- from The Emory Clinic.



Emory is partnering with American Medical Response for ambulance and in-stadium transport of patients.



Braves fans do not have to fall ill to benefit from the new agreement between Emory and the Braves. EMORY HEALTHCARE providers also will offer free in-stadium wellness programs at selected games throughout the year.



"This is a wonderful partnership between two of Atlanta's finest -- and we hope most winning -- institutions," said Michael M. E. Johns, M.D., chief executive officer and chairman of the board, EMORY HEALTHCARE. "As one of the largest providers of health care in the city, Emory is pleased to be able to serve our fellow Braves fans in this way."



Dr. Johns has been asked to throw a honorary "first pitch" at the home Braves game selected as Emory Hospitals employee night, a long-standing tradition at Emory.



Rein Saral, M.D., director of The Emory Clinic, which will provide the physicians, said "The ability to do this reflects Emory's rapidly growing strengths in primary care as well as its well-established reputation in emergency medicine. It's another way we are moving away from the campus into the community -- and a wonderful opportunity for our physicians, who are Braves fans of the highest order."



For more general information on The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, call Health Sciences News and Information at 404-727-5686, or send e-mail to hsnews@emory.edu.


Copyright ©Emory University, 1997. All Rights Reserved.
Send comments to whscweb@emory.edu