“Exercise is Medicine” in Latin America: training health care professionals in physical activity prescription

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Long Term Impact

Health care professionals (HCPs) play an important role promoting healthy habits to patients, yet they lack knowledge, training and self-efficacy to effectively prescribe physical activity (PA). In 2011, the “Exercise is Medicine” Latin American Regional Center developed a one-day (8 hours) in-person course on PA and exercise prescription for HCPs, with theoretical and practical components. Contents include evidence-based health benefits of PA, screening for major risk factors, key behavioral change strategies, basic exercise testing, and prescription and referrals principles. Participants take a multiple-choice evaluation before and after the training. Those who score 80% or higher in the final evaluation receive an international certification endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. Since 2013, they also report current PA habits and counselling in clinical practice at the beginning of the course. Sustainability of this initiative, including free enrollment of participants, has been achieved with the support from the industry, scientific societies, and sports and exercise authorities. As of October 2013, 40 courses have been carried out in 15 cities and 7 countries of the region. A total of 1206 HCP have participated (26.4% general practitioners, 47.8% specialists, 20% other HCP), and 625 physicians have been certificated. Participants scored, on average, 20% higher in the final versus the initial evaluation. In total, 379 participants completed the questionnaire, 61.2% of which reported to currently comply with international PA level recommendations. Also, 52.2% and 57.5% reported to always assess or recommend PA in their clinical practice. The overall quality of the course was scored 4.5 out of 5. Participants have shared personal testimonies, stating the positive impact of the training experience on their own personal exercise habits and clinical practice. This course is a promising strategy to help incorporate PA promotion in health care settings. Evaluation of its medium and long-term impact is in progress.

scholarly journals Health care provider confidence and exercise prescription practices of Exercise is Medicine Canada workshop attendees

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myles W. O’Brien ◽  
Christopher A. Shields ◽  
Paul I. Oh ◽  
Jonathon R. Fowles
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Exercise Prescription ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Personal Trainers ◽  
Prescription Practices ◽  
Physical Activity Counselling ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Physical Activity And Exercise

The Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) initiative promotes physical activity counselling and exercise prescription within health care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions and practices around physical activity counselling and exercise prescription in health care professionals before and after EIMC training. Prior to and directly following EIMC workshops, 209 participants (physicians (n = 113); allied health professionals (AHPs) (n = 54), including primarily nurses (n = 36) and others; and exercise professionals (EPs) (n = 23), including kinesiologists (n = 16), physiotherapists (n = 5), and personal trainers (n = 2)) from 7 provinces completed self-reflection questionnaires. Compared with AHPs, physicians saw more patients (78% > 15 patients/day vs 93% < 15 patients/day; p < 0.001) and reported lower frequencies of exercise counselling during routine client encounters (48% vs 72% in most sessions; p < 0.001). EPs had higher confidence providing physical activity information (92 ± 11%) compared with both physicians (52 ± 25%; p < 0.001) and AHPs (56 ± 24%; p < 0.001). Physicians indicated that they experienced greater difficulty including physical activity and exercise counselling into sessions (2.74 ± 0.71, out of 5) compared with AHPs (2.17 ± 0.94; p = 0.001) and EPs (1.43 ± 0.66; p < 0.001). Physicians rated the most impactful barriers to exercise prescription as lack of patient interest (2.77 ± 0.85 out of 4), resources (2.65 ± 0.82 out of 4), and time (2.62 ± 0.71 out of 4). The majority of physicians (85%) provided a written prescription for exercise in <10% of appointments. Following the workshop, 87% of physician attendees proposed at least one change to practice; 47% intended on changing their practice by prescribing exercise routinely, and 33% planned on increasing physical activity and exercise counselling, measured through open-ended responses.

scholarly journals Assessing the Capital Efficiency of Healthcare Information Technologies Investments: An Econometric Perspective

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolphe Meyer ◽  
Patrice Degoulet
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Health Care Sector ◽  
Added Value ◽  
It Investment ◽  
Econometric Methods ◽  
General Business ◽  
Economic Tools

Summary Objectives To examine the different methods that can be used in the quantification of the added value of information technologies (IT) in the health care sector. This quantification represents a major issue for decision-makers and health care professionals when they have to plan an IT investment. MethodsArticles were chosen via Medline, internet and the University of Geneva bibliographic portal. Some of the papers were obtained directly from their authors. We examine the most current methods used to evaluate IT return on investment (ROI) in the general business and in the health care sector, drawing attention on methods traditionally used in macro economic studies that could reveal themselves disruptive for IT ROI impact evaluation in hospitals. Results Financial and accounting methods can provide interesting data on a specific IT project but are usually incomplete for revealing the global IT investment influence. Econometric methods tend to demonstrate the positive impact of health care IT (HIT) on hospital production and productivity. Hospitals having higher levels of IT investment tend to deliver a higher level of clinical quality and show improved hospital cost performances. Conclusions Information technologies are so intermingled with people and processes that the identification of specific IT benefit remains questionable. Using macro economic tools could be the best way to analyze and compute IT ROI in health care. Econometric tools take into account all types investments (inputs) and all the returns (outputs) enabling the precise measurement of IT investments impact, breakeven points, and possible threshold levels, thus providing helpful intelligence to reach the higher levels of IT governance in hospitals.

scholarly journals Development and Process Evaluation of a 5-Week Exercise Program to Prevent Falls in People after Stroke: The FALLS Program

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. R. van Duijnhoven ◽  
D. De Kam ◽  
W. Hellebrand ◽  
E. Smulders ◽  
A. C. H. Geurts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Fall Prevention ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Falls Prevention ◽  
Common Complication

Falls are a common complication after stroke, with balance and gait deficits being the most important risk factors. Taking into account the specific needs and capacities of people with stroke, we developed the FALLS program (FALL prevention after Stroke), based on the “Nijmegen falls prevention program” (a proven-effective 5-week exercise program designed for community-dwelling elderly people). The program was tested in twelve community-dwelling persons with stroke, and a process evaluation was conducted with patients, trainers, health care professionals, and managers. The FALLS program was considered suitable and feasible by people with stroke in the study and relevant health care professionals, and recommendations for implementation in clinical practice have been suggested.

scholarly journals Flash Glucose Monitoring: A Review of the Literature with a Special Focus on Type 1 Diabetes

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Mancini ◽  
Maria Berioli ◽  
Elisa Santi ◽  
Francesco Rogari ◽  
Giada Toni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Glycemic Control ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Flash Glucose Monitoring

In people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), obtaining good glycemic control is essential to reduce the risk of acute and chronic complications. Frequent glucose monitoring allows the adjustment of insulin therapy to improve metabolic control with near-normal blood glucose concentrations. The recent development of innovative technological devices for the management of T1DM provides new opportunities for patients and health care professionals to improve glycemic control and quality of life. Currently, in addition to traditional self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) through a glucometer, there are new strategies to measure glucose levels, including the detection of interstitial glucose through Continuous Glucose Monitoring (iCGM) or Flash Glucose Monitoring (FGM). In this review, we analyze current evidence on the efficacy and safety of FGM, with a special focus on T1DM. FGM is an effective tool with great potential for the management of T1DM both in the pediatric and adult population that can help patients to improve metabolic control and quality of life. Although FGM might not be included in the development of an artificial pancreas and some models of iCGM are more accurate than FGM and preferable in some specific situations, FGM represents a cheaper and valid alternative for selected patients. In fact, FGM provides significantly more data than the intermittent results obtained by SMBG, which may not capture intervals of extreme variability or nocturnal events. With the help of a log related to insulin doses, meal intake, physical activity and stress factors, people can achieve the full benefits of FGM and work together with health care professionals to act upon the information provided by the sensor. The graphs and trends available with FGM better allow an understanding of how different factors (e.g., physical activity, diet) impact glycemic control, consequently motivating patients to take charge of their health.

scholarly journals Physical Activity on Prescription in Routine Health Care: 1-Year Follow-Up of Patients with and without Counsellor Support

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5679
Author(s):  
Pia Andersen ◽  
Sara Holmberg ◽  
Kristofer Årestedt ◽  
Lena Lendahls ◽  
Per Nilsen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Routine Care ◽  
Interquartile Range ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Everyday Activity ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
One Year

The effectiveness of counsellor support in addition to physical activity on prescription (PAP) from health care professionals has rarely been evaluated. This observational follow-up study investigated differences in physical activity levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) one year after PAP regarding patients’ use of counsellor support in addition to PAP in routine care. The study was conducted in a Swedish health care region in which all patients receiving PAP from health care professionals were offered counsellor support. Data were collected from medical records and questionnaires (baseline and follow-up). Of the 400 study participants, 37% used counsellor support. The group of counsellor users attained a higher level of physical activity one year after receiving PAP compared to the group of non-users (p < 0.001). The level of physical activity was measured by a validated index (score 3–19) calculated from weekly everyday activity and exercise training. Comparison of the change in scores between baseline and follow-up showed a significant difference between the two groups, (p < 0.001). The median difference in the PAP + C group was 2.0 (interquartile range, 7.0) and 0.0. among non-users (interquartile range, 4.0). Significant differences in HRQoL were due to positive improvements among counsellor users, with the main improvement in general health. The conclusion is that patients using counsellor support after receiving PAP from health care professionals had higher physical activity and better HRQoL one year after compared with patients who did not use this support.

scholarly journals Technology-Based Motivation Support for Seniors’ Physical Activity—A Qualitative Study on Seniors’ and Health Care Professionals’ Views

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (13) ◽  
pp. 2418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ehn ◽  
Ann-Christin Johansson ◽  
Åsa Revenäs
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Behavioral Change ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
User Groups

This paper investigates seniors’ and health care professionals’ (HCPs) perceptions on needed contributions and qualities of digital technology-based motivation support for seniors’ physical activity (PA). Seniors and HCPs expressed their views in focus groups, which were analyzed separately by inductive content analysis. Similarities and differences in seniors’ and HCPs’ views were identified through thematic analysis of qualitative results from both focus groups. This article’s main findings are that both seniors and HCPs believed digital technology should support and make PA more enjoyable in ways to strengthen seniors’ control and well-being. However, seniors emphasized support for social interaction, while HCPs also requested support for increasing seniors’ insight into PA and for facilitating their dialogue with seniors. Conclusions to be drawn are that seniors and HPCs shared overall views on digital technology’s main contributions but had different perspectives on how those contributions could be obtained. This highlights the importance of the early identification of user groups and exploration of their different needs when developing new solutions. Moreover, seniors’ and HCPs’ perceptions included aspects relevant for personal motivation, technology acceptance, and PA behavioral change according to self-determination theory, unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, and behavioral change techniques for increasing PA.

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