Texas Children's Hospital joins U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee's National Medical Network, endows USOPC Tech and Innovation Fund

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the addition of Texas Children's Hospital to the USOPC National Medical Network. Texas Children's Hospital, located in Houston, will serve as a national medical center and the Official Pediatric Medicine Provider, offering expertise to Team USA athletes in coordination with USOPC medical practitioners, and offer additional support through the establishment of a dedicated USOPC Technology and Innovation Endowment.

The National Medical Network, through affiliation with leading medical centers and practitioners, supports the USOPC's commitment to expert whole-athlete care by providing additional service to America's elite athletes through relationships with medical providers with proven expertise in sports medicine.

"Texas Children's Hospital has a history of high-quality medical care and leadership and is an exceptional addition to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee's National Medical Network." Said Bahati VanPelt, USOPC chief of athlete services. "Working with specialty providers represents a great opportunity for Team USA athletes to benefit from leading practitioners in sports medicine – and in this case specialized service for young athletes – as part of the broad USOPC commitment to whole-athlete wellness."

Texas Children's is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric and adaptive sports medicine, medical innovation, women's health and health and wellness education. Partnership with the USOPC will allow for integration of this expertise into the USOPC's Sports Medicine program.

"We are thrilled to support the USOPC and America's elite athletes as the exclusive pediatric care provider of the National Medical Network," said Dr. Jeffrey Shilt, chief of community surgery and the sports medicine liaison to the USOPC at Texas Children's Hospital. "As young athletes transition from the playground with the goal of representing Team USA, we look forward to helping them achieve these milestones by providing expert care during an illness or injury, and maintaining their overall health and well-being. We take great pride in being able to support the next generation of Olympians and Paralympians as they optimize their health and performance through this world-class relationship."

Texas Children's provides care in more than 40 pediatric specialties. The hospital ranks tenth in the country in Orthopedics and ties for third overall in U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospitals rankings. The acclaimed pediatric hospital will join seven other leading medical providers within the National Medical Network that have a strong history of multidisciplinary care, sporting event coverage, prevention and performance services, and participation in research and education.

In addition to joining the National Medical Network, Texas Children's committed additional resources to the USOPC's Technology and Innovation Fund, which will specifically support investments in pediatric medical innovations and services. In conjunction with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, and with support from generous investors, the fund was created to utilize the brightest ideas in technology and engineering to benefit Team USA's sports and athletes. The fund delivers groundbreaking improvements to current sport technology, drives future development and bridges the gap between innovation and utilization to put the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee – and the athletes and National Governing Bodies it serves – at the forefront of sport performance innovation.

"The USOPC is committed to leading in the fields of sport high performance and innovation, supporting Team USA athletes where they train and compete with cutting-edge research – and, importantly, the ability to translate research into best practices," said Finbarr Kirwan, USOPC vice president, sport performance. "Texas Children's support of the Tech and Innovation Fund dramatically increases our ability to build on our successes to date, and significantly expand our ability to provide for Team USA athletes of all ages." 

NMN medical organizations are designated by the USOPC as either national or regional based on the scope of available services and specific geographic proximity to training and competition centers and sites.

The following organizations are members of the National Medical Network:

National Medical Centers

• Steadman Philippon Research Institute and The Steadman Clinic – Vail, Colorado
• Texas Children's Hospital – Houston, Texas
• University of Utah Health – Salt Lake City, Utah

Regional Medical Centers

• Adirondack Health – Saranac Lake, New York
• Allegheny Health Network – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Colorado Center of Orthopedic Excellence – Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Lake Placid Sports Medicine – Lake Placid, New York
• Memorial Health, part of UCHealth – Colorado Springs, Colorado

For more information on USOPC athlete care and the National Medical Network, visit TeamUSA.org

About the USOPC
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America's athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

Contact: Lindsey Fox
832-824-2040
[email protected]

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital