Oak Hill Academy Basketball team group picture on the basketball court.

Ashe Memorial Hospital partners with Oak Hill Academy

JEFFERSON, N.C. -- Ashe Memorial Hospital recently announced a partnership to become the official healthcare provider for Oak Hill Academy.

Through the partnership, Ashe Memorial Hospital will provide athletic and rehabilitation training for the school's basketball teams while also supervising its student health program. Located in Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill Academy is a college preparatory boarding school known for producing top tier basketball talent.

Ashe Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Services Director Dustin Absher, who has been the trainer and team physical therapist for Oak Hill Academy for the past four years, will oversee the partnership, which has been in development for nearly two years.

"We are excited to finally announce the completion and initiation of this partnership," Absher said. "It not only helps provide much-needed medical oversight and assistance for the medical team at Oak Hill Academy, but it will increase the timeliness and quality of care for the students and staff of the academy, along with needed sports medicine coverage for their student-athletes."

In his role, Absher covers all of Oak Hill Academy's home basketball games for both its regional Red team and national Gold team while also attending practices if the teams will be playing on the road. Additionally, Absher will see other students during practice time or before games to help assist with any injuries that may have occurred. Absher will then communicate his findings to the school nurses to help with the referral process and get the students the care that they need whether that's through rehabilitation services, orthopedic consultation or another specialty. Ashe Memorial Hospital also will provide onsite provider coverage and telemedicine services throughout the school year.

"This further supplements Ashe Memorial Hospital's vision of growth by expanding our regional footprint across state lines to provide quality medical care to the students and staff of Oak Hill Academy," Absher said.

In addition to working with Oak Hill Academy, Ashe Memorial Hospital also is the official healthcare provider for Ashe County Schools, having created a sports medicine program to provide more coverage for multiple high school sporting events.

For more information on Ashe Memorial Hospital and its Rehabilitation Services Department, please call 336-846-0833 or visit ashememorial.org.

About Ashe Memorial Hospital
For more than 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital's dedicated team of board certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.

Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.