How to Help Your Patient Keep

That New Year’s Resolution…

Promoting Wellness in the Upstate

Andrea C. Bryan MD FACC

Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention

Assistant Clinical Professor, USCSOM-Greenville

Carolina Cardiology Consultants

Greenville Health System

New Year, Healthier You

• 1 in 3 Americans resolve to better themselves every

January

• 75% stick to their goals for at least a week

• 46% are still on target six months later

• It's hard to keep up your patients’ enthusiasm

months after, but it’s not impossible.

Top 10 NY’s

Resolutions 1. Lose weight and get fit

2. Quit smoking

3. Learn something new

4. Eat healthier and diet

5. Get out of debt and save money

6. Spend more time with family

7. Travel to new places

8. Be less stressed

9. Volunteer

10.Drink less

Lose Weight, Feel Great!

• Perennially the most popular resolution

• Help with expectations: – Don’t expect success overnight

– Help patients avoid quickie cures like diet pills

– Anticipate bumps in the road

• Use a food journal to keep track of what you eat

• Have patient check back in with you if possible in 4-6 weeks

LoseWell Weight

Management • 12 weeks

• Biometric screening at start and end of program

• Weekly group meetings with health coach and dietician

• Weight management support group meetings – Nonjudgemental

– Open discussions

– Education (cooking classes, grocery tours, etc)

– Others in similar situations

Lose Weight, Feel Great!

• Weight Watchers

• Nutrition Solutions

• Emeals

QuitWell Tobacco

Cessation • 1 small group class per week x 5 weeks

• workbook, handouts, an on-site facilitator, and “Quit Kits” for participants

• Classes offer: – Education

– Discussions

– Learning about NRT

– Support groups

QuitWell Tobacco Cessation

Silver Sneakers

• Sponsored by Healthways

• Covered through 65 Medicare plans

• Offered at Anytime Fitness, Curves, Golds

Gym, multiple YMCA locations

Managed-Medicare Health Club

Benefit and Reduced Health Care

Costs Among Older Adults

• Yr 2: $500 per member decrease in total health care costs

• Fewer hospital admissions in both years

• ≥2 visits/wk over two years vs <1 visit/wk over two years……$1252 decrease in healthcare costs

• In both years, study members had more primary care visits than control group

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Be Happy

• People with positive emotions are 20% less likely

to have a heart attack or develop heart disease

-volunteer

-cut your stress: relax, socialize, take vacations

-get more sleep

Social Media:

friend or foe?

• Online communities and connections

• Twitter, telemedicine, Hello Health -Doctor blogs or twitter feeds

-Hello Health

• Healthcare Wikis -Medpedia

-Rarespace

• Connecting Healthcare Communities -apps for Health and fitness

-apps to lose weight

-exercise tutorials and instructions