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TRX equipment.” But the site also offers amedical fitness program geared towards patients post rehabilitation, to ease the transition from physical therapy.“ It can be an abrupt stop for folks,” he notes. While there are no nutritional counselors on staff, he says, members can use referrals to health professionals of all types within the system.
Hospital officials say the centers are a way to improve people’ s health outside the doctor’ s office and expand their outreach into the communities they serve. When a member joins one of these hospital-affiliated gyms, they are typically given a fitness assessment to examine their cardiovascular ability, flexibility, blood pressure, and medical records to design an individualized fitness program.
At the Center for Health and Wellness, patients with Parkinson’ s disease can take part in a program called Rock Steady Boxing, designed specifically for their needs. There are also programs for more run-of-themill issues.“ The goal is to bring people together who are challenged with the same things,” says Toto.“ Moral support is there; it’ s outcome driven, because they support each other through the process.” That support keeps members coming back, according to Toto.“ We have members who
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have been there for 10 years, 15 years.” Toto says.“ This is a life commitment. They are looking for a workout home where they feel safe.”
Despite the medical connection, insurance companies have so far treated these facilities like any other gym. Some plans offer partial reimbursements for members as an incentive to keep physically active, but many do not. UnitedHealthcare offers up to $ 400 ayear for members who log 50 hours in six months at agym or doing yoga, kickboxing or other activities. The company also allows members to earn more than $ 1,000 a year if they meet fitness goals tracked by an activity tracker or smart watch.
But the program does not direct members specifically to gyms associated with hospitals, says Jennifer Statham, a spokeswoman for the company.“ We want members to get healthy doing activities and at facilities that are broadly attractive to our members and meet the criteria of the program,” she says.“ So we don’ t have specific incentives for specific centers.”
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey gives a $ 20 reward for every month a member makes at least 12 visits to one of 4,000 participating fitness centers across the country. The company also offers a gym discount
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program, but does not specifically provide incentives to join hospital affiliated centers. Membership costs generally range from about $ 50 to $ 79 per month.
In comparison, the monthly price for amembership is $ 35 at New York Sports Clubs,$ 30 at Gold’ s Gym and $ 25 at L. A. Fitness.
Steven Davis, head of marketing for Town Sports, which owns New York Sports Clubs, acknowledges that hospitals are opening these centers to take a more proactive approach to people’ s health.
“ They’ re looking atitaspreventative medicine. If you work out and eat right, chances are you’ ll have better health down the road, and we’ ve known that for a long time,” he says.“ Obviously, any gym that opens up is competition. We’ ve been in the gym business for 40 years, so Ithink we’ re better equipped in terms of fitness goals, but at the end of the day we’ re all in this business for the same reason— to get people healthy. ■ The Center for Health and Wellness is located at 200 South Orange Ave. in Livingston,( 973) 322-7444, rwjbh. org
Atlantic Rehabilitation at New Providence is located at 550 Central Ave.,( 908) 522-2215, atlantichealth. org
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BOXING COURTESY OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS; LEG PRESS COURTESY OF ATLANTIC REHABILITATION |
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34 MAY 2018 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE |