THE VALUE OF MEDICINE
The VALUE of MEDICINE : HEALTHY HABITS & HEART RATE MONITORS
by PATRICIA PURCELL MD , MBA , FAAP
It is early evening at St . James School on Edenside Drive in Louisville . The small gym is filled with students of various ages standing next to the health-related posters they ’ re presenting at the school health fair . The students are excited and shouting to each other . And , in one corner there is a group of students jumping , stretching and jogging in place all while raising their hands over their heads . On their wrists are “ smart ” watches providing data to a large board which was actively revealing their heart rate and activity level . The students and their parents were so excited and engaged in the activity . Was this part of the health fair ? A sponsored activity ? What is going on ?
As we look at the value of medicine in the Louisville community , the Greater Louisville Medical Society Foundation works as the charitable arm of the society as a whole . It allows for physicians to give back to other physicians and the community at large through initiatives that improve health and well-being . Efforts have included providing grant funding , scholarships , programs for physicians and volunteer hours . To further its value , the GLMS Foundation has designed four focus-driven arms :
• Community Health & Wellness - This committee focuses on issues pertaining to our neighbors and the community at large .
• Physician Wellness - This group looks for initiatives to
educate and support our members in a variety of ways , including our Wellness Wednesday Webinar series .
• Golf - This committee plans the annual Doctor ’ s Cup golf scramble , which helps raise money for medical student scholarships .
• Fundraising - We look for unique ways to raise money throughout the year , allowing us to give back to our members and community .
St . James School , led by Julie Mattingly , applied for a grant to improve the health and activity level of the students at their school . By utilizing heart rate monitors and a web-based tracking and measurement system , the students will be able to track and better understand their own health . This program will allow students to work on their own level , irrespective of any underlying medical conditions . In 2020 , the CDC launched Active People , Healthy Nation 1 with the goal to help 27 million people in the U . S . become more physically active . The initiative uses the Community Preventive Services Task Force ’ s ( CPSTF ) recommended interventions , including school-based programs . As noted in the CDC ’ s Healthy Schools Guidance and Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program Framework , 2 schools are uniquely situated to help kids get moving . When in session , students spend an average of seven hours at school each day . 3 Ms . Mattingly ’ s goal is to utilize several of these hours by offering activity watches in conjunction with intentional teaching that reinforces healthy habits . Parents as well as teachers
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