Family physicians play a vital role in encouraging patients to lead healthy lives through physical activity, healthy eating, and emotional well-being—that is, through fitness. The AIM-HI approach focuses on facilitating a conversation between you and your patients. Our goal is not to provide you with a stack of handouts and patient educational materials; rather, we hope to improve your ability to engage in a patient-centered conversation about fitness.
Fitness includes three interconnected domains: physical activity, healthy eating and emotional well-being.
Throughout the AIM-HI materials, you will see that we intentionally present fitness in a central role as “the treatment of choice” for general prevention and management of chronic conditions. AIM-HI was developed by family physicians for family physicians and the family medicine office environment. In part, this approach was adapted from Am I Hungry?, a multidimensional program developed by AAFP family physician, Michelle May, M.D. AIM-HI will help you integrate a fitness focus in your practice through implementation of the following critical steps:
STEP 1 - Create an office environment that is conducive to including AIM-HI concepts in everyday office routines.
STEP 2 - Use AIM-HI tools and resources to help your patients make fitness changes for the better.
STEP 3 - Improve clinician and staff knowledge of the central role of physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being in health.
The AIM-HI approach relies on three critical tools that all practices are encouraged to adopt:
The AIM-HI Approach
- AIM-HI Fitness Inventory—a brief survey for patients to complete that assesses their attitudes, interest, readiness, and behaviors regarding nutrition, physical activity and well-being; ideally done annually at check-in
- Fitness Prescription—a contract between the patient and physician that uses simple, measurable, mutually agreed upon goals that are revisited periodically
- Food & Activity Journal—a week-long journal that patients can use to track their physical activity and nutrition to be assessed at the next visit
