DOHA: Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, through its Healthy Lifestyle Programme has become a regional reference centre for ‘Exercise is Medicine’ initiative.
The recognition was announced during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Aspetar and the initiative, in the presence of Chief Operating Officer, Ibrahim Aldarwish, representing the Director-General of Aspetar, and Dr Adrian Hutber, Vice-President, ‘Exercise is Medicine’.
The non-profit initiative, launched by American College of Sports Medicine and American Medical Association, calls for physical activity and exercise to be standard parts of disease prevention and medical treatment, urging healthcare providers to assess patients’ physical activity programmes at every visit, with office visits that conclude exercise clearance and a prescription or referral to a qualified health/fitness professional.
Patients are encouraged to begin conversation with their doctor about physical activity and learn how to best continue or improve their exercise regimens.
As the first sports medicine hospital in the region to be adopted as a reference centre by the initiative, Aspetar is expected to introduce lifestyle medicine and specific physical activity into the general medical practice to help people in the GCC have healthier lifestyle and prevent chronic diseases.
Dr Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari, Director, Healthy Lifestyle Programme, Aspetar, said, “Aspetar is positioned to link the world of healthcare with the world of physical activity to allow physicians to motivate patients to do physical activity and refer them to community-based resources which can help them continue that motivation and provide them with opportunity to do that because physicians are a such a trusted source for patients.”
Dr Hutber added: “Aspetar is one of the leading healthcare systems in the region and a leader and role model and is the perfect partner for us to be able to benefit from its expertise and influence in the region.
The Peninsula
