On May 29, 2015, the YMCA of Central Florida officially launched the YMCA's HealthierLifeRX, a three-year pilot program funded through a $1.7 million grant from United Health Foundation. It is part of the Foundation’s “Helping Build Healthier Communities” program that is providing critical resources to nonprofits and community-based organizations to improve people’s health.
HealthierLifeRX aligns with the Y’s strategic focus to empower the community through healthy living. In partnership with the medical community, including existing relationships with major health care systems Florida Hospital and Orlando Health, the Y’s HealthierLifeRX initiative will help improve the health of the community and empower participants to take control of meeting their health and wellness goals, set together with their physician.
"At the Y, we're not in the health care business, we are in the prevention business, and that is what this collaboration is about." - Dr. Beth Kollas, YMCA' s Executive Director of Health Strategies.
The goals of the HealthierLifeRX pilot program include decreasing the participating individuals’ risks for chronic disease conditions and reclamation of health, and improving the overall health of the community, as well as reducing the per capita costs of care.
Through self-referral or physician referral, patients enrolled in HealthierLifeRX will have access to evidence-based programs that include chronic disease management, disease prevention, weight management, healthy eating and exercise.
The program also leverages mobile and cloud-based technologies to enhance engagement between patients and lifestyle coaches and to encourage daily activity to help participants, and community members, reach their health goals.