something we can ’ t supply , we know where to go .”
Phillips sees the six-week period after hospital discharge as a time of accompaniment , walking alongside a patient during their recovery journey .
“ Much of the time , we ’ re just checking in like you would on a relative or friend ,” Phillips says . “ No two people are the same . For some , we work to connect them with resources like homedelivered meals or home safety items . For others , just stopping by to play a game of cards provides the support that they need .”
While Catholic Charities works to improve aftercare and recovery , Roane General Hospital ( RGH ) is taking a similar approach to preventative care and wellness by connecting patients with a variety of resources and services . A recent community needs assessment labeled Roane County as one of the unhealthiest counties in the U . S . Recognizing the role it plays in the health and wellness of its community , RGH leadership took note and immediately set to work on what is now known as the Prescription for Your Health ( P4YH ) program .
At the heart of the program is a paradigm shift from treatment alone to wellness and prevention utilizing exercise , education and behavioral health coaching as key interventions .
“ We needed to make an investment in improving our health and wellbeing and not just react and treat the underlying illness and disease ,” says RGH CEO Doug Bentz . “ If not us , then who ?”
At the same time the program was being developed , RGH was also planning a renovation and expansion . The expansion embraced the new health vision by growing the existing fitness
Veronica Stover leads a group fitness class . Photo by Roane General Hospital .
center , building a pool for aquatics and joint health , expanding and integrating therapy space into the wellness center with cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation , building a café to serve healthy food choices and adding a new walking trail .
According to Jeff Tanner , vice president for the RGH Center for Wellness , P4YH is a medically directed , physicianordered program that accepts referrals from both internal and external providers . It is founded on three pillars : a provider-directed medical plan , health and wellness education and a medical fitness plan . Participation is incentivized , and the program is free of charge .
The medical health plan is developed between the patient and their care team at the time of referral to outline the participant ’ s health and wellness goals . For example , in addition to taking their prescribed medications and returning for follow-up exams , a patient may also be required to receive regular health screenings like colonoscopies , mammograms or immunizations to support overall health and wellness . Each plan is tailored to the specific patient .
Photo by Catholic Charities .
Health literacy is also essential in P4YH . Participants are required to complete health education courses on basic nutrition , healthy cooking , diabetes management and tobacco cessation . They also have access to a meal planning and tracking app as well as health coaches like Kimberly Mertz , director of P4YH .
“ Health and wellness can be overwhelming , and health coaching serves the role of working side by side with patients putting together complex puzzle pieces for success ,” she says . “ The key to health coaching and sustaining health change is understanding and motivating around why and meeting patients where they are to set sustainable goals and motivation .”
Of course , the pioneering spirit is also powering advances in medical invention , treatment and technology , leading to incredible possibilities for those receiving care in West Virginia and beyond .
With patient care and education at the forefront of its mission , Marshall Health is driven by the innovation of its physicians , hospitals , ambulatory facilities and medical offices . Part of this commitment to innovation includes a recent collaboration with Intermed Labs , a startup venture studio that advances health technology concepts .
“ Intermed is adept at sieving through ideas , accepting promising ones and taking them quickly to prototype development and beyond ,” says Ali Oliashirazi , M . D ., orthopaedic surgeon at Marshall Health and vice dean and chair of orthopaedic surgery at the Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine .