News Release: Emory Healthcare
Jun. 8, 2009
Emory Teams Up With National Football League Player Care Program
Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine HospitalThe Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital is one of five hospitals chosen to participate in the NFL's new spine treatment program for retired players. The program is designed to make specialists available to evaluate and treat spine-related conditions.
Each hospital in the program provides an orthopaedic spine surgeon who serves as program director and coordinates the services of a team of health care professionals in the evaluation and treatment of the former players. The Emory team includes John Heller, MD, orthopaedic surgeon, as program director; Gerald Rodts, MD, neurosurgeon and Michael Schaufele, MD, physiatrist.
"We are pleased to be selected by the NFL as the southeast regional comprehensive spine care program," says Scott Boden, MD, professor of orthopaedic surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and director of the Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center. "Our center has 16 physicians dedicated to every aspect of spine care."
The program, part of the NFL Player Care Plan, is available to retired players vested under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle pension plan.
Other hospitals selected include Mt. Sinai (New York), UCLA Health Systems (Los Angeles), University of California at San Francisco and Washington University (St. Louis).
In 2008, Emory participated in another program sponsored by the NFL Player Care Plan - a heart screening for retired players.
Interested players should contact the NFL Player Care Plan to connect with the appropriate program director who may initiate a course of treatment.
Retired NFL players may also find additional information on medical and benefits programs at www.nflplayercare.com.
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