Exercise is Medicine (EIM) is a nonprofit initiative co-launched  by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) , with support from the Office of the Surgeon General and the 18th Surgeon General Regina Benjamin , on November 5, 2007. EIM was started by then ACSM President Robert E. Sallis, MD, FACSM in 2007, who has continued to serve as the Chair of the EIM initiative since its inception. Under the guidance of Dr. Sallis and the EIM Advisory Board , Adrian Hutber, PhD, served as the first Vice President of EIM and has overseen the global development of the initiative over its first decade of existence. From 2007-2017, EIM grew into a "global health" initiative with a presence in more than 40 countries worldwide. The initial five years of the initiative focused on increasing global awareness that "exercise is good medicine". More recently, efforts have shifted toward the strategic implementation of the EIM Solution in healthcare systems. 1. The first step, and initiator, of the EIM Solution is the systematic assessment of every patient's physical activity levels. The Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) is an evidence- and practice-based tool consisting of two questions to determine whether the patient is meeting the established physical activity guidelines. This tool for assessing patient physical activity levels has been successfully integrated into several health care systems including the Kaiser Permanente health systems of Northern and Southern California, as well as in Intermountain Health. 2. The second step is to provide brief advice or counseling regarding the importance of regular physical activity, specifically relevant to that patient's medical history and situation. Several physical activity counseling models have been shown to be effective in increasing patient physical activity levels including the  5As , motivational interviewing, and the use of the transtheoretical model. 4. The final, and perhaps most crucial, component of the EIM Solution is ensuring that all eligible patients receive a physical activity referral to supportive resources to assist them in engaging in greater physical activity levels. Patients may be referred to existing physical activity resources within a health system (i.e., wellness programs, cardiac rehabilitation programs, physical therapy), self-directed programs (i.e., walking programs, smartphone apps), or community-based resources. Within the community setting, all physical activity places (i.e., YMCAs, JCCs, community fitness centers), and exercise professionals should be considered for inclusion in a physical activity network. EIM supporters Numerous health and professional organizations have signed as partners with the Exercise is Medicine initiative including: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) , the American Council on Exercise (ACE) , the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) , the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (FPM R) , the Medical Fitness Association (MFA) , and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) .
Exercise is Medicine (EIM) is a nonprofit initiative co-launched on November 5, 2007 by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association , with support from the Office of the Surgeon General and the 18th Surgeon General Regina Benjamin . EIM was started by American College of Sports Medicine President Robert E. Sallis, MD, FACSM in 2007, who has continued to serve as the chair of the EIM initiative since its inception. Under the guidance of Dr. Sallis and the EIM advisory board , Adrian Hutber, PhD, served as the first vice president and has overseen the global development of the initiative over its first decade of existence. From 2007-2017, EIM grew into a "global health" initiative with a presence in more than 40 countries worldwide. The initial five years of the initiative focused on increasing global awareness that "exercise is good medicine". More recently, efforts have shifted toward the strategic implementation of the EIM Solution in healthcare systems. 1. The first step, and initiator, of the EIM Solution is the systematic assessment of every patient's physical activity levels. The Physical Activity Vital Sign is an evidence- and practice-based tool consisting of two questions to determine whether the patient is meeting the established physical activity guidelines. This tool for assessing patient physical activity levels has been successfully integrated into several health care systems including the Kaiser Permanente health systems of Northern and Southern California, as well as in Intermountain Health. 2. The second step is to provide brief advice or counseling regarding the importance of regular physical activity, specifically relevant to that patient's medical history and situation. Several physical activity counseling models have been shown to be effective in increasing patient physical activity levels including the " 5As " (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange), motivational interviewing, and the use of the transtheoretical model. 4. The final, and perhaps most crucial, component of the EIM Solution is ensuring that all eligible patients receive a physical activity referral to supportive resources to assist them in engaging in greater physical activity levels. Patients may be referred to existing physical activity resources within a health system (i.e., wellness programs, cardiac rehabilitation programs, physical therapy), self-directed programs (i.e., walking programs, smartphone apps), or community-based resources. Within the community setting, all physical activity places (i.e., YMCA centers, Jewish Community Centers, other community fitness centers), and exercise professionals should be considered for inclusion in a physical activity network. EIM supporters Numerous health and professional organizations have signed as partners with the Exercise is Medicine initiative including: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners , the American Council on Exercise , the American Physical Therapy Association , the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation , the Medical Fitness Association , and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association .
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on November 5, 2007
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(ACSM)
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(AMA)
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, on November 5, 2007.
.
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then ACSM
American College of Sports Medicine
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Chair
chair
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Advisory Board
advisory board
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Vice President of EIM
vice president
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(PAVS)
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"
R
,
" (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange),
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YMCAs, JCCs,
YMCA centers, Jewish Community Centers, other
D
(AANP)
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(ACE)
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(APTA)
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(FPM
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R)
D
(MFA)
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(PCNA)