The Secret to Motivating Patients to Exercise More

If your hospital keeps encountering patients with repeat health problems, then it's time to encourage them to exercise more. Moderate cardio and strength exercises are the key to a happy, healthy life that don't require as many visits to the doctor.

When it comes to long-term health, here are just a few ways you can get your patients to exercise more.

Following Protocol

Encouraging your patients to exercise seems like common sense, but making the suggestion could break hospital protocol.

Your hospital's management team needs to be aware that doctors, nurses, and staffers could get themselves in hot water when it comes to suggesting exercise to patients.

Political correctness must come first in a professional medical environment and telling patients to keep up with their fitness could come off as an offensive statement.

With that said, it's perfectly fine for your medical staff to ask patients if they exercise regularly. This question will naturally lead to a conversation about the importance of exercise for one's health.

Health and Fitness Pamphlets

Leaving informational pamphlets on exercise, fitness routines, and healthy eating is a perfectly acceptable way to spread the wellbeing word with patients.

Chances are your hospital already stocks its waiting rooms with pamphlets on a number of medical concerns and issues.

By adding a fitness pamphlet to the mix, you can inform your patients about the benefits of fitness without directly suggesting the health change. Within the pamphlet, you can also recommend that interested patients ask their physicians about adopting a fitness routine.

Exercise Pointers

Patients will likely show an interest in exercise and improving their health, so it's important to have pointers on standby.

These include the types of exercise activities that are appropriate for your patients as well as at-home equipment that might help in the pursuit for fitness.

For example, for patients who need to improve their cardio health, suggesting they use a step counter such as those found at major retailers like Walmart and other such providers when walking or jogging will help them keep track of their progress.

Or, if a patient needs to increase their strength training, resistance bands are another great suggestion. In other words, giving patients helpful exercise pointers will help them safely reach their fitness goals.

Health Checkups

Before your hospital puts any patients on a fitness program, it's crucial to perform health checkups first.

A health checkup will ensure that patients are fit for exercise. Whether cardio, strength training, or a combination of the two, routine checkups will also ensure the exercise routines your patients utilize aren't negatively affecting their health.

Hospital Fitness Programs

There are already a number of hospitals across the country that encourage their patients' well-being by providing onsite fitness centers and wellness programs.

Lake Forest Hospital in Chicago, Illinois for example has a Health and Fitness Center that's open to all patients.

Winchester Hospital in North Boston also has Wellness and Fitness programs that help patients improve their health through regular exercise.

Likewise, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri has a personal training exercise program for its patients.

When it comes to the health of your patients, encouraging them to exercise is a step in the right direction.

With that in mind, what is your hospital doing to assist patients in getting more exercise?

About the author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including personal health and exercise.