Improving Population Health Through Integration of Primary Care and Public Health: Providing Access to Physical Activity for Community Health Center Patients

Read an abstract of an American Journal of Public Health article that examines what effect a copay had on the usage of exercise facilities at a YMCA.

During routine office visits, providers referred individual patients to the YMCA at no cost to the patient. After two years, the YMCA instituted a $10 per month patient copay for new and previously engaged health center patients.

The authors found that free access to exercise facilities (rather than self-paid memberships) may be a more appropriate approach for clinicians to begin engaging inexperienced or uncertain patients in regular fitness activities to improve health.