Led by two women physicians and former athletes, Sutter Concussion Services helps patients safely return to school, work, sports and everyday life.
A concussion may be classified as a mild traumatic brain injury, but for many patients, its effects are anything but mild.
From headaches and dizziness to memory problems, sleep disturbances and mood changes, concussions can disrupt nearly every part of daily life. To help patients recover more quickly and completely, Sutter Health has launched Sutter Concussion Services, a comprehensive concussion care program that brings together specialists across multiple disciplines to provide individualized treatment for children and adults.
Leading the effort are two nationally recognized physicians and former athletes: Dr. Angela Lumba-Brown, who oversees pediatric concussion care throughout the Greater Silicon Valley region, and Dr. Glynnis Zieman Calvin, who leads Sutter’s Sports Concussion Services in the Sacramento region.
Together, they are building an enterprise-wide program designed to deliver evidence-based care, expand access to specialized expertise and educate communities across Northern California.
“A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when there’s a bump, blow or jolt to the body or head,” Dr. Lumba-Brown said. “It’s not something you can see on a CT scan or an X-ray. It’s what we consider a microscopic injury. But despite often being called ‘mild,’ it can greatly affect a person’s life and how they return to school, work, sports and everyday activities.”
More than a sports injury
While many people associate concussions with soccer, football or hockey, sports are only one cause. Children and adults may sustain concussions from falls, vehicle crashes, recreational activities, workplace injuries or assaults.
Symptoms can appear immediately, including headache, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision or sensitivity to light and noise. Others develop over days, including fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, irritability, memory problems and difficulty concentrating.
No two concussions are the same
One misconception is that every patient follows the same recovery path. Physicians now recognize several concussion profiles, including cognitive, headache, mood disruption, vestibular, or balance, and oculomotor, or vision and eye movement.
“Every individual is unique,” Dr. Lumba-Brown said. “It’s not a cookie-cutter approach. We assess where each patient is experiencing impairment and create a personalized recovery plan designed to help them recover as quickly as possible.”
Understanding which profile is most affecting a patient helps clinicians tailor treatment instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
“The care plan has to be individualized,” Dr. Zieman said. “Through a comprehensive evaluation, we develop a personalized recovery plan that addresses that patient’s specific challenges so they can recover as safely and efficiently as possible.”
A multidisciplinary approach to recovery
Patients are referred by athletic trainers, parents or other people involved in their sport (coaches, parents, team docs, etc.) Some begin by seeing their primary care physician or pediatrician, who can diagnose a concussion and determine whether referral to Sutter’s specialized program is appropriate. Early evaluation helps identify patients who may experience a prolonged recovery and allows treatment to begin sooner.
Depending on symptoms, care may include sports neurologists, sports medicine physicians, vestibular and physical therapists, speech therapists, neuropsychologists and other specialists who work together to support recovery.
“We collaborate closely with athletic trainers, primary care physicians, coaches, parents and referring providers,” Dr. Zieman said. “Our goal is to optimize recovery while creating personalized return-to-school, return-to-play, and return-to-work plans that are appropriate for each individual.”
Expertise beyond the clinic
The program is led by physicians whose expertise has helped shape concussion care nationally. Dr. Lumba-Brown, a pediatric emergency medicine physician specializing in head trauma, was lead author of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s pediatric concussion guidelines. She also has led National Institutes of Health head trauma workgroups and authored more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications on concussion and brain injury.
Dr. Zieman brings more than 16 years of experience in sports neurology and brain injury medicine. Before joining Sutter Health, she led the Brain Injury and Sports Neurology Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. She was the Medical Director of the Barrow Concussion Network in Phoenix, which is a statewide program that collaborates with high school athletic trainers to provide concussion education, resources and athlete care. Dr. Zieman continues to serve the NFL as an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant and concussion protocol adviser for Player Health and Safety.
The program’s mission extends beyond clinic walls. Dr. Zieman is meeting with athletic trainers, coaches, school officials, physicians and community organizations to strengthen relationships and expand concussion education.
“Clinical expertise is the core of the program, but a program like this is only successful if it has strong relationships in the community,” she said. “We want to educate coaches, parents, athletic trainers and medical providers so they know how to recognize concussions, what to do next and when specialized care is needed.”
As the first program of its kind in the Sacramento region, Sutter Sports Concussion Services represents an important step toward expanding access to specialized concussion care throughout Northern California.
“We’re excited to launch a program that provides state-of-the-art neurological care for athletes,” Dr. Zieman said. “Ultimately, our goal is simple: help people recover fully, safely return to school, work, sports and everyday life, and ensure our communities have access to the expertise they deserve.”
“I think it’s really special that we’re two female physicians and former athletes leading this effort in a field that has traditionally been male dominated,” Dr. Lumba-Brown added. “Most importantly, we’re creating a place where patients can receive personalized concussion care without unnecessary delays so they can safely get back to living their lives.”
Sutter plans to expand access to concussion care in the communities it serves, grow education and outreach around concussion awareness, prevention and recovery, and strengthen partnerships with schools, youth sports organizations and athletic programs. The program also will continue increasing collaboration among sports medicine, neurology, rehabilitation and other specialists, while supporting broader orthopedic and sports medicine expansion efforts, including future services planned for Sutter’s Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Care Complex.
