When we talk about medical practice, we think of health professionals treating patients, addressing diseases, and ultimately saving lives. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.
Medical practice should be at the forefront in ensuring people’s overall well-being. On top of this is fostering health and fitness in your medical facility. Whether you have a private practice, run an urgent care center, or manage a hospital, you must promote a healthy lifestyle and physical fitness within your jurisdiction.
That said, here’s how to foster health and fitness in your medical practice:
1. Establish a healthy environment
Whether it’s a private practice, a walk-in clinic, or an ambulatory care center, you must create a healthy environment. So how do you establish a healthy medical practice? Consider getting your people, your supplies, and the facility itself involved.
First, health professionals assisting patients must be healthy and physically fit. They must be role models themselves who live a healthy lifestyle and pursue physical fitness. Second, the choice of food and beverage supplies shows how your medical practice values health and fitness. Lastly, your facility itself must disseminate health information that will be beneficial to your patients.
2. Ensure the utmost cleanliness
Cleanliness is key to health and wellness. If there’s one environment that must be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected, it is a medical facility. Upholding the utmost cleanliness is all the more necessary during the pandemic. The ultimate goal is to keep your environment free of the various strains of novel coronavirus.
First, be sure to comply with standard cleaning protocols and regulations appropriate for your facility. Also, don’t just focus on cleaning, but consider having proper disinfection in your area. These include your personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical hoods and full-body suits; medical tools such as respirators and ventilators; and medical equipment such as medical supply and food delivery carts.
3. Promote proper hygiene
Fostering proper hygiene can make a world of difference in your medical practice. Your health practitioners and other employees must always practice proper hygiene. The same is true for your regular patients. Always remind them of the importance of having good hygiene in a COVID-stricken world.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights hygiene etiquette and practice, such as the following:
- Taking a bath regularly
- Washing the hands frequently
- Cleaning the face
- Proper coughing and sneezing
- Dealing with pets and animals
4. Get the communities involved
In the fight against the COVID-19 crisis, your medical practice must work together with the local communities. Be sure to partner with the local authorities and other sectors to educate, help, and assist the public. The goal is to encourage individuals and families to be physically active and practice healthy habits. You also want to reach out to secluded areas with no access to healthcare and medical services.
Whether to orient the public on the pandemic impact, implement health and safety measures, or even conduct community vaccination, your medical practice has a crucial role to play. You must be at the forefront in helping your local communities rise above the pandemic situations. Ultimately, doing so will give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment amid the global health crisis.
5. Educate both your employees and patients
In a pandemic world, it’s best to sit down with your team of health professionals and encourage them to promote health and physical fitness. You can even work with delivery services providing healthy and nutritious meals for them. You can also partner with fitness centers that can offer discounts to your employees.
On the other hand, your health practitioners must help their patients carve health and fitness plans. Always encourage them to practice the following:
- Proper nutrition: Advise your patients to eat wisely by opting for green leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat, as well as nuts and seeds.
- Hydration: Always encourage your patients to drink plenty of water every day to stay hydrated. The recommendation is to drink at least eight glasses of water.
- Regular exercise: Working out doesn’t necessarily mean hitting the gym. Inform your patients to have regular physical activity such as pursuing a home workout, walking, jogging, and even household cleaning.
- Ample sleep: Adults must have seven to nine hours of sleep every day. However, ensure this is a sound and restful sleep with rapid eye movement (REM).
Medical practice is paramount in a given community. Its reason for existence goes beyond providing healthcare and medical services. Medical practitioners and health professionals should also encourage people to value health and fitness. If you run a medical practice, be sure to consider the valuable recommendations discussed above. All these will help your employees, patients, and the community uphold overall health and well-being.
