Wells Fargo Insurance Services and ImPACT Applications, Inc. develops innovative concussion care program

Wells Fargo & Company’s (NYSE: WFC) Student Insurance Division and ImPACT Applications have joined forces to launch Play It Safe Concussion Care^SM - a new concussion management treatment and services solution for youth athletes nationwide. The program provides concussion medical expense benefits for athletes who sustain a covered head injury. An innovative approach to concussion management, Play It Safe Concussion Care provides education, neurocognitive testing, access to medical professionals who are credentialed ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), consultants, and excess insurance coverage to protect the financial well-being of youth athletes and their families.

“Wells Fargo is thrilled to announce our exclusive association with ImPACT for the Play It Safe Concussion Care program,” said John Breckenridge, senior vice president of Wells Fargo Insurance Services. “We are connected in our mission to protect youth athletes. The quality and reliability of the ImPACT test along with their credentialed ImPACT consultants and training programs help ensure a safe return-to-play for young athletes.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates between 1.6 and 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year. Ten percent of all college players and twenty percent of all high school players sustain concussions in any given season, with high school athletes three times more likely to sustain a second concussion. 

Dr. Micky Collins, PhD., director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Center for Sports Medicine Concussion Program said, “We are pleased to work with Wells Fargo in initiating this comprehensive concussion care program. The program will help all children to receive exemplary, evidence-based care incorporating all elements of an appropriate concussion management program. These include concussion education, baseline neurocognitive testing and, most importantly, post-injury treatment by a clinician who has been trained extensively in implementing the latest advances in concussion science and education. We are proud to be a part of this as many children will benefit from this program.”  

Play It Safe provides youth sports organizations and school districts with affordable access to similar protections and protocols afforded by the NFL, NHL, and Major League Baseball.  For more information on the Play It Safe Concussion Care Solution, please visit https://wfis.wellsfargo.com/concussioncare For more information about ImPACT, please visit  www.impacttest.com

“Post-injury care is key to successful return to play, return to school and return to life. The Play it Safe program provides easier access to qualified clinicians who have the background and experience in concussion management” said Mark Lovell, PhD, FACPN and Chairman of ImPACT. “This program should greatly increase access to high quality care and have a large impact on the child athlete.”

About Wells Fargo Insurance Services Student Insurance Division

Wells Fargo Insurance Services is the fifth largest insurance brokerage in the world and the largest bank-owned insurance brokerage in the U. S. (Business Insurance, 2009) with more than 200 offices in 37 states. Its 7,000 insurance professionals place more than $16 billion of risk premiums with experience in property, casualty, benefits, international, personal lines, and life products. Insurance products are offered through non-bank insurance agency affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company and underwritten by unaffiliated insurance companies.

Well Fargo Insurance Services’ Student Insurance Division has over 20 years of experience in designing student insurance solutions and program administration.  We provide our customers with the experience and resources of a large broker with the personal attention of a local broker.

About Wells Fargo & Company

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With approximately 280,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. 

About ImPACT

ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is the first, most-widely used, and most scientifically validated computerized concussion evaluation system.Developed in the early 1990's by Drs. Mark Lovell and Joseph Maroon, ImPACT is a 20-minute test that has become a standard tool used in comprehensive clinical management of concussions for athletes of all ages. ImPACT Applications, Inc. was co-founded by Mark Lovell, PhD, Joseph Maroon, MD, and Michael (Micky) Collins, PhD.

Given the inherent difficulties in concussion management, it is important to manage concussions on an individualized basis and to implement baseline testing and/or post-injury neurocognitive testing. This type of concussion assessment can help to objectively evaluate the concussed athlete's post-injury condition and track recovery for safe return to play, thus preventing the cumulative effects of concussion. In fact, neurocognitive testing has recently been called the "cornerstone" of proper concussion management by an international panel of sports medicine experts.

ImPACT can be administered by an athletic trainer, school nurse, athletic director, team coach, team doctor, or anyone trained to administer baseline testing. ImPACT is the most widely used computer-based testing program in the world and is implemented effectively across high school, collegiate, and professional levels of sport participation.