Only about half of Americans meet the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity. To help get people moving, health care providers need to become better health advocates. The first step is spreading the word, which is why the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy and American College of Sports Medicine are offering three strategies for health care leaders to promote physical activity and to shape environments to support active living. These include: encouraging physical activity in conversations with patients, redesigning health care environments, and investing in community health.
“Health care providers are under pressure to find new and more effective ways to help patients address obesity and other chronic diseases that are influenced by inactivity,” said Brian Raymond, MPH, senior health policy consultant at Kaiser Permanente. “This campaign is about changing how health care providers perceive their role in improving physical activity and ultimately encouraging innovative action.”
Titled, A Prescription to Move (hashtag #Rx2Move), the campaign includes three webinars, a policy brief, and a series of infographics that highlight the various ways that providers can promote active living and make environments more suitable for physical activity. Here’s a little more on the three core principles.
- Having Conversations with Patients – Making Exercise a Vital Sign: Conversations between primary care providers and patients about physical activity and more active lifestyles can improve health.
- Designing Active Health Care Environments: Design innovations adopted by hospitals and health systems can encourage physical activity and give patients, visitors, and staff opportunities to engage in “active transportation” (walking, biking, and using public transit).
- Investing in Community Health: By advocating for and investing in active transportation, public recreational spaces, and school-based health initiatives, health care providers can promote more active, healthier communities.
There are three ways you can support #Rx2Move:
- Join the #Rx2Move Webinar Series and Pass along the Invite
The first of a three-part Rx2Move webinar series, Making Physical Activity a Vital Sign, is scheduled on Tuesday, October 13, 12:30-1:30 PM Pacific/ 3:30-4:30 PM Eastern. Registration and additional information is available at: http://www.kpihp.org/rx2move-webinar-series/
- Spread the Word about the #Rx2Move Online Issue Brief
Our new online issue brief, How Health Care Providers Can Encourage Physical Activity for Patients and Communities, highlights emerging strategies health care providers are using to encourage exercise amongst their patients and the communities they serve. The issue brief is available at: http://www.kpihp.org/rx2move/
- Participate in the #Rx2Move Social Media Campaign
Join us in using Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin to raise awareness about the #Rx2Move key messages. Infographic banners and sample messages supporting the social media campaign are available at: http://www.kpihp.org/rx2move/. We encourage you to use the #Rx2Move hashtag in your digital conversations.
