Think back to the last time you went to the doctor.

Were you counseled on the importance of eating healthy and being physically active? Were you encouraged to stop a bad habit like smoking? If so, did you follow the doctor’s advice?

Patients are often provided with health education in clinical settings like a doctor’s office or hospital, but often, more in-depth and comprehensive education is available beyond the clinical setting.

This is where Tanner Health System’s Get Healthy, Live Well initiative comes in. Get Healthy, Live Well has made it a priority to expand its community health efforts with an innovative program that creates a bridge between the clinic or doctor’s office and its evidence-based programs like the Diabetes Prevention Program, Get Healthy Kids and Freshstart, a tobacco cessation program.

Get Healthy, Live Well can help connect a physician’s medical advice with programs in the community that teach real-world, actionable steps patients can use to positively impact their health and make changes in their lifestyle, diet and exercise habits. These connections help ensure that people with or at high risk for chronic disease have access to community resources and support to prevent, delay or manage their condition.

Support from these community-based programs increase the likelihood that people with chronic diseases are empowered to follow the doctor’s advice and take charge of their health.

Linking patients to Get Healthy, Live Well’s programs provides:

· Patients with more confidence to make positive health changes

· Physicians and advanced practice providers with help in offering additional services to patients in their communities

· Community programs with clients who would benefit from their services and resources

An important component of community-clinical linkages is physician referrals. When a patient enters a clinic or doctor’s office, a nurse will assess the patient’s vitals and make a note of any health issues. A provider will then counsel the patient and recommend a Get Healthy, Live Well program.

These evidence-based programs, which are backed by more than 20 years of research, empower patients to lead healthier lifestyles so they can better manage their health.

Get Healthy, Live Well’s highly-trained and professional staff will assist and support the patient in their efforts to make healthy lifestyle changes. Feedback will then be provided to the physician about the patient’s progress.

Because many patients only see their medical providers once every few months, it is crucial that there are resources available outside of the doctor’s office. It takes a team of people in the clinical and community settings to ensure patients have the resources they need to take charge of their health.

By taking their physician’s advice and joining one of Get Healthy, Live Well’s programs, patients can make a positive impact on their health and in the management of their chronic disease.

For more information about Get Healthy, Live Well’s programs, visit GetHealthyLiveWell.org.

Tanner Primary Care of West Paulding is located in Temple. For more information, visit PrimarycareWestPaulding.org or call 770-812-3866.