North American Rodeo Medicine Referral System

Health care delivery in the rodeo setting is unique. Rodeo athletes travel to rodeo competitions throughout North America, hundreds of miles apart, in short periods of time. The very physical nature of the sport makes it likely that rodeo athletes will be seriously injured at some point in their careers. In addition, many of the acute and chronic injuries commonly suffered by rodeo athletes are unique to this sport. An injured professional rodeo athlete who is unable to compete is also unable to earn a livelihood causing many rodeo athletes to forgo needed medical care. Thus, there is a high number of injured athletes still competing in the rodeo circuit. 

There is also the challenge to find providers who are willing to continue care at the next stop in a cowboy's tour. These combined factors create a major barrier to providing adequate medical care to this unique population and ensuring appropriate follow-up with a health care professional when the athlete continues the tour or returns home.

In an attempt to optimize the access to health care for those competing in this unique sport, an online referral database of health care providers interested in offering their services to the sport of rodeo has been constructed and is accessible to sports medicine providers throughout the United States and Canada. It is a tool for medical professionals to use to contact their colleagues in cities along the injured athlete's trail. The referral database can facilitate quick access, consistent care, and a faster road to recovery for hardworking cowboys and cowgirls. Inclusion in the database is not a guarantee the health care provider will accept the patient, but does indicate the willingness of the provider to receive an initial phone call from another health care provider, sometimes on short notice, concerning an injured rodeo athlete.

Download Directory (rich text format)

If you would like more information about the Rodeo Medicine Referral System, please email Elise Hiza or Nancy Green.

If you are a health care provider and would like your practice to be listed on this site, follow this link to submit information about your practice. 

Link to Providers by State or Province

Links to web sites that focus on rodeo medicine.