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County hears pitch for on-site athletic trainer program aimed at reducing injuries and workers’ comp costs
Summary
Optimum Impact representatives described an on-site athletic-trainer model they say reduces lost work days, improves return-to-work timing and can cut workers' compensation costs; the company proposed a fixed-price contract of about $80,000.
Representatives from Optimum Impact and Optum Health System presented a proposal to Glynn County commissioners on Tuesday to place on-site athletic trainers and related occupational-health services for county employees and first responders.
Russell Brooks, an athletic trainer who said she works with the City of Statesboro, described services the company offers: injury prevention programs, on-site evaluation and treatment, faster care navigation to specialty physicians and job-specific return-to-work testing. "Key benefits of their program include faster return to work rates, reduced overtime costs, decreased injury costs, fewer lost work days, improve morale, and increase retention," Brooks said.
Ty Butler, director of sports medicine for Optimum Health System, and other presenters said the program is used by municipalities and police and fire departments in the region. Brooks told commissioners the vendor typically charges a fixed price of about $80,000 regardless of employee count, and estimated per-employee costs if the program were scaled to the county.
Glynn County fire and public-safety leaders said they saw potential savings. A county fire chief said the county recorded 50 workplace accidents in 2024 and four workers'‑compensation settlements that year; he said several current long-term workers'‑comp claims might have been prevented with a program like the one described.
The presentation included cost‑savings examples from other jurisdictions, a description of clinic space needs, and an offer to extend services to family members of employees. Brooks also noted the company’s care‑navigation relationships with local physicians and the use of rehabilitative services in-house to avoid unnecessary referrals to outpatient clinics.
Why it matters: county leaders weigh occupational‑health investments against the county’s workers'‑comp and overtime costs and the operational needs of departments such as fire and public works. Staff and commissioners asked operational questions about space, coverage, physician partners and whether surgeries would be performed by Optum Orthopedics; presenters said they could not require employees to use a specific surgeon but that local physician partners are preferred.
No contract or formal commitment was approved at Tuesday’s meeting; commissioners asked staff to evaluate the proposal and possible facilities.
