Doctors in two Canadian provinces are using exercise prescription pads to encourage patients to lead healthier, more active lifestyles. Doctors of BC (British Columbia) and the New Brunswick Medical Society (NBMS) offer free pads to their members so they can give patients a physical reminder of the exercise advice they’ve been given by their physicians.
Dr. Lynn Hansen, president of NBMS, said the pads are intended to help patients stick to their exercise regimes. “If they have something in writing, it provides a more permanent reminder of the conversation they had with their doctor,” she said. “We know not everything that is said in the doctor’s office is retained.” Read more in CMAJ.