900 Section - Improving Access to Equitable and Quality Musculoskeletal Care Through Provider Training in an Underserved School Health System

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

MH

Myrna Hanna, DO

Resident Physician
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States
YP

Yolanda N. Pham, MD, MPH

Resident Physician
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States

Co-Author(s)

GG

Giorgina Giampaolo, MD

Resident
Montefiore Medical Center
New York, New York, United States
LA

Luisa Alvarez, BS, MPH

Medical Student
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, New York, United States
NS

Nishma Shah, DO

Resident Physician
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States
VA

Vishal Anjutgi, MD

Resident Physician
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States
Eugene Palatulan, MD, MA

Assistant Professor
Montefiore Einstein
Bronx, New York, United States

Objectives : Communities in underserved areas often lack access to timely, equitable, and quality musculoskeletal care, with school-aged children and young athletes disproportionately affected. In this study, we examine the use of an educational intervention in improving knowledge and referral patterns among school-based healthcare providers to better address common musculoskeletal conditions within underserved areas.

Design: An education session for school-based providers was conducted utilizing SOAP cases and a triage algorithm to guide referrals and assessments. Pre- and post-surveys assessed self-reported knowledge using a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and ANOVA.

Results: Of 45 attendees, 42 completed the pre-survey (15 MD/DOs, 16 NPs, 4 RNs, 6 LCSWs, and 1 PsyD) and 31 completed the post-survey (67% follow-up). Self-reported confidence increased across all items: understanding PM&R’s role (3.75 to 4.54, p< 0.001), performing musculoskeletal exams (3.39 to 3.79, p=0.035) recognizing common conditions (3.43 to 4.07, p=0.001), providing initial management (3.46 to 4.04, p< 0.001), recognizing red flags (3.46 to 4.14, p=0.002), triaging and referring patients (3.36 to 3.93, p=0.008), and connecting with sports medicine providers (2.50 to 4.36, p< 0.001). Physicians improved in all items except exam skills, while NPs improved in recognition of conditions and red flags, initial management, and referral knowledge. There were significant differences across provider types on all items except for referral knowledge. Physicians and NPs reported the highest post-test confidence, and mental health providers primarily showed improvement in awareness of PM&R and referral options.

Conclusion: Implementing school-based educational sessions can improve knowledge and quality of care amongst school-based providers. In many underserved communities, these providers may be the only source of care available to school-aged children. Pre- and post-intervention surveys demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge and confidence, highlighting this intervention as a simple and cost-effective solution to addressing health disparities within these communities.