PHOENIX – Banner – University Medicine’s Sports Medicine and Concussion Center is helping the community better understand the potential severity of a concussion by making a basic evaluation available through a mobile app. The Brain Stamp Gametime app, now available on the App Store and Google Play, provides a series of questions to evaluate an athlete suspected to have sustained a concussion.

“Most athletes would insist they are fine so they can keep playing after sustaining a concussion,” said Dr. Steven Erickson, Banner’s Sports Medicine and Concussion Center medical director. “Our goal in creating this app is to give coaches and parents a tool to better understand concussion symptoms and feel confident sitting the player out when necessary to prevent further injury.”

By downloading the free app, parents and coaches are able to assess the athlete’s cognitive function through a series of questions to quickly determine appropriate medical care. Based on the athlete’s responses, a recommendation to sit the player out or seek medical attention will be provided. It is important to know this app is not to be used as a diagnosis, but instead as a tool for non-medical personnel to help better understand severity of suspected symptoms.

Future iterations of Brain Stamp Gametime will include educational material. For now, you can evaluate concussion symptoms and contact the Banner Concussion Center directly for more information.

Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.