About the Concussion Program
Beginning in 2011, an interdisciplinary team of concussion experts from across CHOP joined forces to create a comprehensive, network-wide concussion management program. The goal was to streamline and standardize concussion diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.
Prompt recognition of a concussion and immediate treatment with cognitive and physical rest are crucial to promote recovery. That's why the concussion experts at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia developed an evidence-based primary and specialty care approach to diagnose and treat concussions in children. The Minds Matter Concussion Program team reviewed current practices across CHOP’s Care Network and scientific literature on best practice for diagnosing and managing pediatric concussion and developed a new model of care.
Primary care physician support
To make sure each child receives prompt diagnosis and early treatment, CHOP supports its primary care network providers with:
- Concussion-specific training
- Tools for clinical diagnosis and management
- Patient-family education resources
CHOP staff in the emergency department and after-hours call system have also received complementary training and tools that support the new care model.
CHOP primary care practices are equipped to see kids within days, which allows for early diagnosis and treatment with cognitive rest. Patients have excellent continuity of care in the primary care setting, where pediatricians are used to working with schools to manage a child’s recovery.
With a little extra training, our primary care pediatricians are very well equipped to diagnose and manage most concussions by using the tools that were developed by concussion experts at CHOP.
CHOP's approach to treating concussions
Your child should see her primary care doctor if you think she has a concussion. The primary care doctor can discuss symptoms and help you create a plan. CHOP Primary Care physicians are located in more than 30 communities across Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and are especially equipped with training and diagnostic support tools for concussion.
After seeing your primary care doctor, if you have further questions, please call CHOP's Trauma Center at 215-590-5932 or the Center for Sports Medicine and Performance at 215-590-1527.
