Step #5 Toward Being Trusted Facilities Where Physicians Refer Their Patients [Connecting Health Clubs to Healthcare Series]

Based on the results of a research study conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health between May 2019 and February 2020, 28% of physicians surveyed responded “I don’t know” when asked to what extent their patients adhere to the written exercise prescriptions/referrals that they make. 

Patients play a very important role in building trust between their physicians and health & fitness centers. Recognize and leverage that role, encouraging members to report back on their progress. Members acting as ambassadors to their physicians encourages referrals of other patients, so that your facility and exercise professionals become their “go to.” 

Step #5 of a 10-step roadmap for health & fitness centers toward being trusted facilities where physicians refer their patients is:

Encourage members to be patient ambassadors, reporting back to their physicians on their progress, outcomes and experience.

So if they had a good experience, they go back and talk to the physicians, and say, this is a great program, I felt so comforted, I knew exactly what I was doing, I made progress. Then their physicians are more likely to send to us.  Exercise Professional

Bantham, A. (2020). Perspectives on Exercise Prescriptions/Referrals and Patient Exercise Behavior Change: A Mixed Methods Study of Physicians and Exercise Professionals (Doctoral dissertation).