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TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion Becomes One of the First Certified Medical Fitness Centers in the Country
July 31, 2008
The TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion is one of the nation's first medical fitness centers to be certified by the Medical Fitness Association (MFA), the country's leading organization dedicated solely to medically integrated fitness facilities. The TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion received notification of successful certification June 24, 2008, and is the only facility in the tri-state to receive this designation.
"The certification not only recognizes what we have achieved but also helps us learn what we can do better,” said Deb Riggs, General Manager of the TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion. “We’ve been an outcome-driven facility from day one, and it’s very rewarding to have a professional association validate our approach and the positive impact it has on our members’ health and safety. We are raising the bar on fitness, and I'm so proud of our staff for earning this premiere, national distinction."
Four facilities from across the country participated in the pilot certification program, which was officially launched November 20, 2007. The four pilot facilities were selected based on a number of criteria, including: size, location and readiness for certification. The certification process included an in-depth review of facilities and their adherence to the MFA’s newly written manual, The Medical Fitness Model: Standards and Guidelines.
“Developed and written by a team of industry professionals, the facility certification program represents a set of nationally derived standards applicable to the design and operation of medically integrated health and fitness facilities,” said Daniel J. Lynch MS, Chairman of the MFA Facility Certification Committee. “We believe these standards and guidelines will help health and fitness centers offer safer and more effective programs to the public.”
Factors that distinguish a certified medical fitness facility from other fitness centers include: active and regular medical oversight; qualified and credentialed staff; disease management and prevention; health risk reduction and therapeutic lifestyle programs; individualized screening, testing and outcome tracking; focus on improving community health; and quality management with measurable performance improvement.
“Medical oversight is a crucial component in overall health and fitness,” said Douglas Linz MD, medical director of the TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion. “Many fitness centers and other organizations offer educational classes and personalized fitness tracks to assist with members’ individual goals. What differentiates certified medical fitness centers from other facilities is the quality of the programming and staff coupled with the level of physician involvement. For example, TriHealth Pavilion members can rest assured that the classes they attend have been reviewed by a physician to ensure the recommendations are medically appropriate. Likewise, disease management fitness tracks receive physician approval before implementation, and fitness professionals are licensed, registered and/or certified in their respective fields.”
For more information about the TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion, visit the facility's Web site or call
513-985-0900.
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