NORMAL, Ill. – OSF HealthCare has been named the official health care provider for Illinois State University athletics in an exclusive partnership.
As part of the five-year agreement, OSF HealthCare will provide Illinois State University athletes with access to athletic trainers, sports medicine providers, orthopedic surgeons and behavioral health professionals.
"We are excited to continue building our partnership with ISU and proud to be part of the Redbird fan club in an official capacity as the health care provider of Illinois State University Athletics. This new partnership reinforces our dedication to providing high quality health care to the Bloomington-Normal communities and extends that to the ISU athletes," said Lynn Fulton, president, OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center. "OSF believes in supporting the whole person, mind, body and spirit, so in addition to traditional sports medicine, we will provide tools and resources to support mental wellbeing."
Robert Seidl, MD, will serve as the medical director of the ISU program and will work closely with Karan Rai, MD, a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare.
"Continuing to care for Illinois State Redbirds year after year is a passion of mine," said Dr. Seidl. "I enjoy working with the athletes and supporting their ongoing health and wellness. The partnership with OSF HealthCare is a great addition and will elevate the breadth and depth of services for the student athletes."
Illinois State University Interim President Dr. Aondover Tarhule is pleased that the partnership with OSF HealthCare continues to grow.
"Illinois State is proud of its student athletes and their remarkable achievements in the classroom and in competition. They put in long hours and great effort to excel in their studies and in their sports," said Dr. Tarhule. "Supporting our student athletes in their pursuit of excellence is vitally important. This new partnership with OSF ensures that they have a team of dedicated and caring healthcare professionals in their corner as they study, train, and compete."
OSF Healthcare and ISU both have a long history of being embedded in this area. ISU was founded in 1857, and the sisters of the Order of St. Francis opened what is now OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in 1880. Throughout the years, the two long-standing organizations have worked together for the good of the community. The two organizations in March launched a joint research partnership, the Connected Communities Initiative (CCI) to bring together clinicians, university faculty researchers and students to explore innovative ideas to improve health care with a focus on medical engineering, data science and cybersecurity.
"The health and safety of our student-athletes is the top priority for our department, and our partnership with OSF HealthCare will help us fulfill that mission," said ISU Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs. "OSF brings to the table a comprehensive, compassionate approach to physical and mental health care that aligns perfectly with our goals. Also, it's exciting for our athletics programs to join in on the collaboration of an academic partnership that the University announced with OSF HealthCare earlier this year."
The athletic partnership launches with the first home football game when the ISU Redbirds take on Dayton on Saturday, Sept. 2.
OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare has 15 hospitals – 10 acute care, five critical access - with 2,084 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners throughout 150+ locations; has two colleges of nursing; operates OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. OSF OnCall, a digital health operating unit, was established in 2020 to improve patient experience, using digital tools for 24-7 communication, on-demand care, remote patient monitoring, and offers the largest hospital-at-home program in Illinois. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country. More at osfhealthcare.org.
Illinois State University, founded in 1857, is Illinois' first public university. A diverse community of scholars with a commitment to fostering a small-college atmosphere with large-university opportunities, Illinois State promotes the highest academic standards in teaching, scholarship, and public service. More at illinoistate.edu.
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