An Interview on MedPage Today: Lifestyle Medicine

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I just wanted to share this interview I did with the Nadolsky brothers over on MedPage Today (see here).

This is something that will be coming down the pike when I open up shop and I'm pretty excited that others seem so open to the idea. I'm certain there are physicians who are hooked into a gym or fitness centers, but I'd be very surprised to learn of someone who is prescribing sets of 5 for the barbell exercises with a little more weight on the bar each time. I'm hoping that will change.

Thanks for reading everyone!

[Farback]

Great read Jordan. As a 59 year old geezer with one STEMI behind me, and one stent, I treat my daily gym time as a prescription. It comes before any other priorities. I hope you're successful in creating a model of care to help people avoid preventable health emergencies.

[vanslix]

I just wanted to share this interview I did with the Nadolsky brothers over on MedPage Today (see here).

This is something that will be coming down the pike when I open up shop and I'm pretty excited that others seem so open to the idea. I'm certain there are physicians who are hooked into a gym or fitness centers, but I'd be very surprised to learn of someone who is prescribing sets of 5 for the barbell exercises with a little more weight on the bar each time. I'm hoping that will change.

Thanks for reading everyone!

I've bounced this idea in my head and the biggest obstacle that I see would be the economics. In other words, the price point for me hitting the black is about on the 7th visit of a mid level provider in either a clinical or urgent care setting. Everything after that is whipped cream. How many clients would a paid SS coach have to hit before I cover all the costs and hit the black? The only way I see that working is higher end clientele who are willing to pay a premium on the quality of coaching which means a very fundamental shift in the type of practice, ie niche markets. I may be better off (both for me and the patient) by just referring the patient to a nearby solid SS coach and then going to do colonoscopies, vasectomies, and other procedures.

[John Petrizzo]

Very cool, Jordan. This is a big step in the right direction. Congrats.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I've bounced this idea in my head and the biggest obstacle that I see would be the economics. In other words, the price point for me hitting the black is about on the 7th visit of a mid level provider in either a clinical or urgent care setting. Everything after that is whipped cream. How many clients would a paid SS coach have to hit before I cover all the costs and hit the black? The only way I see that working is higher end clientele who are willing to pay a premium on the quality of coaching which means a very fundamental shift in the type of practice, ie niche markets. I may be better off (both for me and the patient) by just referring the patient to a nearby solid SS coach and then going to do colonoscopies, vasectomies, and other procedures.

The price point for what? There are too many variables that are dependent on the market, area, type of practice, etc. that play into "the price point" and when you're in the black. I agree that it'd be much more difficult to do this initially if one has a substantial amount of their business generated from medicare or has not built there own practice yet. However, I know that the gym model in and of itself is viable with good coaches. Couple that with a viable medical model, i.e. direct access, concierge, or a hybrid model and it had potential. The first one will be open in about 2 years

[Kyle Schuant]

Doctors have considerably more income potential than most coaches or trainers, and they have a lot of expertise they simply wouldn't need to coach a squat. So I think the best way to do things would be to have the doctor simply refer people to the coach or trainer.

Already many gyms have attached offices with nutritionists, masseurs and physiotherapists. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine one with a doctor, especially if it's some sort of specialist like orthopaedics, etc.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I actually do not think referral to another facility is the best way to do things- though it'd likely be viable. The issue with sending someone out of the office is that there are more barriers to compliance and we'd lose more people than I'd want. Additionally, this practice model I'm discussing relies on training as part of their health care. In other words, everybody is going to train and we're going to need a facility and staff to make this happen. Finally, referring out doesn't help build the marketing/brand for Barbell Medicine.

As far as a doctor needing to coach a squat, I agree that they don't "need" to- but I imagine a scenario where they can if need be (Barbell Medicine Fellowship where over the course of a year they learn the model and obtain an SSC?). I am certain that many gyms have doctor's offices attached to them already, but the problem is they're poorly outfitted gyms staffed with under qualified trainers and the doctor's health care model does not revolve around preventative medicine.

[Barry Charles]

Coach Jordan, the hallmark of game changing success is to have the balls to try something different. It's like a PR squat attempt, you may not get it, but you are guaranteed to fail if you don't try.

Go set a PR.

[sbhikes]

One of our local medical facilities asked the Sierra Club if they would help them design a hiking prescription program. They wanted someone who knew all the local trails to provide rankings so they could prescribe the right level of strenuousness to patients. I know it's not barbell training, but over the years I have known a lot of 80+ year old male hikers who have hiked up until their very final months of life. They generally were much healthier and younger in spirit and appearance than typical 80+ year old men. A few of them you'd never guess they were that old.

Anyway, it sounds like there may be a growing desire for more specific exercise recommendations in the medical community. It's good you are doing this. Your program will be effective and sounds like it'll be logistically doable from a doctor's perspective.

[mike]

As far as a doctor needing to coach a squat, I agree that they don't "need" to- but I imagine a scenario where they can if need be (Barbell Medicine Fellowship where over the course of a year they learn the model and obtain an SSC?).

i can imagine dr sully setting up a squat cage in his ER even as i keyboard! and the outpatient clinical followups will be at GreySteel - i like it...