It's no secret that many Americans are having a hard time following all the recommended healthy behaviors. Smoking, poor diets, too much alcohol and a lack of exercise are all leading to an increase in serious problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. In response, the Health Science Center and the University Health System (UHS) are part of a new initiative called Prescription for Health, which aims to promote better health and reduce health risks.
Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Health Science Center and UHS teams are among 10 sites across the United States joining forces to ultimately help all Americans lead healthier lives. The project links patients with behavioral risk factors to interventions at the practice, health system and community levels.
The trial in San Antonio includes The UT Medicine Family Medicine clinic in the medical center area, as well as the UHS’s Southeast, Southwest, North, Downtown, and the primary care clinic at the Texas Diabetes Institute.
The study goal is to see if medical assistants can help busy physician practices more effectively address risky health behaviors in patients. The program’s effectiveness will be evaluated by assessing the number of patients reached, interventions requested, as well as costs to the practices and the impact on health behaviors.
For more information about the project, visit the website at
www.prescriptionforhealth.org.
