Mon, February 13, 2012 at 12:07 | Craig R. Waters Doctors Training Doctors
By Craig R. Waters
In the March issue of CBI, which you should be receiving shortly, you will read about a remarkable physician-referral initiative—the Physician Referred Exercise Program (PREP)—developed by the ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
You will not, however, read about the connection between PREP and the “Exercise is Medicine” (EIM) initiative, championed by Dr. Edward Phillips, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, and actively promoted by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
IHRSA is a member of the EIM Network.
There is a connection, and one that makes an important point, but we ran out of room in the magazine. Christine Thalwitz, the director of communications and research for ACAC and the author of “Just What the Doctor Ordered!” (March, pg. 60), described PREP in compelling detail, but, because of space restraints, we were forced to do some trimming.
Dr. Edward PhillipsOur apologies to Thalwitz and Phillips.
Kelly Lynn, one of ACAC’s physician liaisons, makes the point that Phillips’ efforts have helped raised awareness among physicians about the importance of discussing physical activity with patients during office visits. Phillips is also the founder and director of the Institute of Lifestyle Management (ILM), and co-author of Exercise is Medicine: A Clinician’s Guide to Exercise Prescription.
The institute’s defining objective is to help train physicians to effectively coach their patients to make better lifestyle choices. It conducts seminars and has developed courses for medical professionals about nutrition, stress management, and exercise prescription, as well as other tools for promoting healthy change.
Phil Wendel, the owner of ACAC, first heard about the ILM courses in 2009 when he was preparing a joint presentation for an IHRSA convention with Phillips and Amanda Harris, one of the founders of the PREP program, about engaging the physician community.
“It was wonderful to hear from a Harvard faculty member who believes in the power of exercise prescription as much as we do,” says Wendel. “The more we talked, the more I realized how important it was to have him come share his message with professionals in my hometown.”
The PREP program in action at ACAC Over the next several months, Wendel brought Phillips to his club communities in Virginia and Pennsylvania to speak to local medical professionals. The workshops were extremely well received, and it was obvious that the physicians wanted to learn more.
“The seminars were fantastic, but we needed a better ongoing solution for familiarizing doctors with exercise prescription and lifestyle coaching,” explains Wendel. “It was too cost-prohibitive to keep flying Eddie into town, so we looked for a local expert to be his evangelist.”
Since then, ACAC has partnered with Ina Stephens, M.D., who’s become a local resource for teaching doctors how to prescribe medicine. Stephens, who has undergone training with Phillips, is also a certified yoga instructor and is now able to be able to deliver the ILM’s seminars. “It ‘s exciting to play an active role in the integration of exercise and medicine,” says Stephens. “This alliance is the perfect example of how we should redefine our nation’s approach to healthcare.”
- Craig R. Waters is the editor-in-chief of CBI and can be reached at c.waters@fit-etc.com.
Reader Comments (1)
Another superb notice!!!
Gracias!!!
John