Position Statement for High School Sports Pre-Participation Evaluation Forms

Tahoe Forest Health System has received many questions about the recent changes to the NIAA High School Sports Participation Physical Examination and Medical Eligibility form, and we hope the following information will help clarify our position.

We have undergone a legal review and determined that completing the form does not conflict with California or federal law. As such, Health System providers can complete and sign the new NIAA form, if they are comfortable doing so. However, please be aware that your child’s provider may choose not to.

As medical professionals, our obligation is solely to the health and wellness of our patients, not to verifying personal information. Genital examinations are not performed as part of pre-participation sports physicals. Additionally, we will not require a birth certificate to be presented. Our providers will rely on the student and/or his or her parent/guardian to self-proclaim their eligibility for sports participation.

Our official position is as follows.

TFHD Position Statement for Completing Pre-Participation Evaluation Forms from Outside Agencies/Organizations

When TFHD physicians and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) are asked to complete pre-participation evaluation forms that originate from external organizations, it is the position of the district that:

• Clinician responses, notes, records and documentation are only based on their professional medical opinion(s).
• The responsibility of Physicians and APPs in providing a pre-participation evaluation is limited to providing a medical evaluation, in order to facilitate safe participation in sports.
• Personal information, such as age, address, and biological sex at birth shall be provided by the patient and/or parent and/or guardian.  Accuracy related to this information is not independently verified by the physician or APP.
• Sensitive genital examinations and advanced testing are not generally part of a routine pre-participation evaluation for sports, but could be indicated for specific medical concerns, and/or as part of an overall “wellness evaluation.”
• Neither the examining clinician nor the health system will take responsibility for forms deemed incomplete or rejected for any reason by a third party.
• Once completed, any forms with individually identifiable or personal health information will only be shared with the patient, parents or guardians who then have the right to share it with a third-party organization.