News

With the start of the new year, now is the perfect time to talk about nutrition and physical activity with your patients!

Discussing healthy lifestyle changes with patients when they come in for their annual exam is a great way to encourage better overall health – and it may be just what the doctor ordered to support patients on their journey to better health. Plus, reminders like these have a huge impact on setting healthy behaviors all year long!

Are you unsure of what specifically to discuss during these visits? Here’s a checklist:

Nutrition

• Ask about current nutrition behaviors (Do you eat enough fruits, veggies? What about junk food? How often?)
• Counsel or refer the patient for nutrition education, if necessary
• Discuss the importance of healthy weight and preventing obesity
• Provide anticipatory nutrition guidance
• The visit notes should state that the counseling happened during a face-to-face visit

Physical Activity

• Ask the patient about their current physical activity behaviors (What type of exercise or sports do you do? How many days a week?)
• Counsel or refer the patient for physical activity, if necessary
• Provide anticipatory guidance specific to your patient’s physical activity
• The visit notes should state that the counseling happened during a face-to-face visit

Get started today!

Read more news in the February issue of Provider e-News