Between school, work, sports and family, caring for ourselves can sometimes fall at the bottom of our to-do list. We’ll find a new primary care provider or schedule that appointment eventually, but until then, life keeps moving.

Kamehameha Schools Kapālama athletic trainer Rachel Loo believes staying healthy isn’t something we’re meant to manage alone. Through years of caring for student-athletes — and navigating her own recent health journey — she knows that building a trusted healthcare team can make all the difference.

“We want our doctors to be an integral part of our care team,” Loo said. “Not just when you need them, but routinely and before things get worse.”

For Loo, no one provider has the whole picture. That’s why athletic trainers, primary care providers and specialists all have an important role to play.

“The more we know about them, the better decisions we can make because we can treat them as a whole individual,” Loo said.

That collaboration depends on open, honest communication, but she often encounters students who fear that asking for help automatically means sitting out.

“I know that a lot of the kids are hesitant to see us because they think it’s either they can play 100% or not at all,” Loo said. “As their care team, we’re just trying to give them the option to participate. If we can help them get healthy enough, then they have the choice to play.”

Parents, coaches and providers all play an important role, but keiki have one, too. Learning to ask questions and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right is just as important as listening to the experts. For Loo, those lessons in responsibility come from her own experience as a student-athlete.

“Accountability and integrity...are what really drive me now,” Loo said. “Sports helped me to understand...I can’t just do whatever I please and that there are people who depend on me.”

Today, she strives to be that steady source of support for every student who walks through her training room. Whether it’s encouraging them to speak up about an injury, reminding a family to schedule an annual checkup or helping a young athlete navigate recovery, Loo hopes haumāna learn to advocate for themselves, trust the people on their care team and recognize that taking care of their health today is an investment in everything they hope to do tomorrow.

“I want to encourage all of you...that you are worth it,” Loo said. “So take care of yourself. If you could be proactive and put yourself first now, then you can help others later.”

For more information and resources:

• Do’s and don’ts for effective patient-physician communication (American Medical Association)
• Don’t Be Shy: 4 Tips for Talking to Your Doctor (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
• Communication Between Clinicians (AHRQ Patient Safety Network)

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