title: Googling Concussion Care: A Critical Appraisal of Online Concussion Healthcare Providers and Practices in Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concussion is an emerging public health concern, but care of patients with a concussion is presently unregulated in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Independent, blinded Google Internet searches were conducted for the terms "concussion" and "concussion clinic" and each of the Canadian provinces and territories. The first 10 to 15 concussion healthcare providers per province were identified. A critical appraisal of healthcare personnel and services offered on the provider's Web site was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight concussion healthcare providers were identified using this search methodology. Only 40% listed the presence of an on-site medical doctor (M.D.) as a member of the clinical team. Forty-seven percent of concussion healthcare providers advertised access to a concussion clinic, program, or center on their Web site. Professionals designated as team leaders, directors, or presidents among concussion clinics, programs, and centers included a neuropsychologist (15%), sports medicine physician (7%), neurologist (4%), and neurosurgeon (4%). Services offered by providers included baseline testing (67%), physiotherapy (50%), and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that there are numerous concussion healthcare providers in Canada offering diverse services with clinics operated by professionals with varying levels of training in traumatic brain injury. In some cases, the practices of these concussion clinics do not conform to current expert consensus guidelines.
authors: Department of *Surgery, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; †Pediatrics and Child Health, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; ‡Section of Neurosurgery, University of Manitoba, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; §Pan Am Concussion Program, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; ¶Children Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and ‖Clinical Health Psychology, Canada North Concussion Network, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Ellis
authors: Lesley
authors: L
authors: Ritchie
authors: Erin
authors: E
authors: Selci
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Chu
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: McDonald
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Russell
mesh_terms: D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000628:therapy*; D002170:Canada; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans