Exciting partnership with ATI Physical Therapy part of new sports medicine program at Thompson High

Sports medicine will have a new look, paired with an important returning piece, for Thompson High athletics during the 2018-19 school year.

Long-time team surgeon and doctor Mike Patterson will continue to serve the Thompson High athletic department. The exciting new chapter comes with the addition of Brookwood Baptist Health and Shelby Medical Center and ATI Physical Therapy.

“One of our key goals within our athletics department is to provide a premier environment that aids in developing the total athlete,” said Thompson High athletics director Vincent Pitts. “A huge part of our focus is sports medicine, how we administer medical care and treatment and who we partner with to provide care are both major factors. Having great doctors, athletic trainers and physical therapists directly impacts a player’s efficient and safe return to play.”Retaining Dr. Patterson was a huge part of the plan, according to Pitts.“We are excited to retain such quality care through Dr. Patterson,” Pitts said. “We have simply gained a new and substantial partner in Brookwood Baptist Health.”

ATI, which began in Willowbrook, Illinois in 1996, is one of the largest and top quality physical therapy companies in the country. ATI serves teams across the sports medicine landscape including the Chicago Cubs, Alabama Crimson Tide and high schools across the state of Alabama.

“We had a set of goals and objectives of our sports medicine program and we worked diligently to find a great partner,” Pitts said. “ATI was able to collaborate and assess our needs, plan for growth and insure quality care and collaboration with Dr. Patterson. Furthermore, ATI has been proven to provide top notch staffing of athletic trainers and physical therapists. We look forward to maintaining our relationship with Dr. Patterson and growing in our new partnership with ATI and Brookwood Baptist Health.”