Healthcare systems and professional societies should recognize physical inactivity and insufficient physical activity as treatable and preventable with profound health and cost implications. (HC-2)
TACTICS:
Expand the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of promoting physical activity in inactive patients with and without chronic disease, including evidence on the effect of therapeutic physical activity for existing conditions on patient outcomes and costs of care. (HC-2.1)
Objectives:
- By 2020, at least three healthcare systems that combined serve at least 500,000 individuals each will have partnered with research/academic institutions to build evidence (e.g., original research, systematic reviews and meta-analyses) on the cost-effectiveness of a systems approach to physical activity assessment and counseling in healthcare settings.
- By 2020, at least 2 peer-reviewed publications will address the cost-effectiveness of physical activity assessment and counseling in the U.S. healthcare system.
Embed physical activity promotion in clinical guidelines where sufficient evidence exists for both positive health and cost outcomes. (HC-2.2)
Objectives:
- By 2020, at least 5 leading medical professional societies will advocate for the inclusion of physical activity assessment and counseling in guidelines for conditions where there is moderate to strong evidence of health benefits associated with regular physical activity.
- By 2020, at least one professional society from each of the fields of physical therapy, nursing, dietetics, mental health, and exercise science will have an effort in place that examines their role in promoting physical activity assessment and counseling with patients across the care continuum.
- By 2020, clear roles will be delineated for the healthcare teams in physical activity assessment, counseling, and referral to community-based physical activity resources including standards and workflow, as evidenced by published recommendations from each team member’s respective professional organizations or other leading entity.
Ensure that priority is given to treatment of physical inactivity in population groups with the lowest levels of physical activity. (HC-2.3)
Objectives:
- By 2020, at least two healthcare systems, that combined serve at least 10 million individuals, will have in place an evaluation plan for how they promote physical activity in their highest risk patients (e.g., those with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus, risk for cardiovascular disease, etc.).
- By 2020, healthcare professional societies for clinicians who work in at least four different disease-specific areas (e.g., diabetes, mental health, cancer, cardiovascular disease) will each have task-forces in place that are identifying effective strategies in clinical settings to promote physical activity among their respective patient groups.
