Exercise Is Excellent Medicine

Opened in 1997, the TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion is the nation’s first certified medical fitness facility to meet the standards of the Medical Fitness Association. Services and programs are provided in a comfortable, inviting, retreat-like setting. Here, people of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy a variety of activities and amenities designed to enhance the quality of lives.

TriHealth originally gained expertise in medical fitness by managing the corporate fitness centers of companies such as Procter & Gamble and General Electric. "We have excelled in corporate wellness because rather than offering a fitness center where only apparently healthy individuals would work out, we have the ability to attract the unfit and at-risk individuals and actually work with them to improve their health," says Deb Riggs, general manager of the TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion. The Pavilion then brought that expertise to the general public. "It’s changed the whole image of fitness in Cincinnati." 

Inhabiting the unique space between fitness center and hospital, the Pavilion is truly for everyone. "It’s a place where at-risk individuals can get help in a supportive setting and where avid exercisers can train for sports and marathons," says Riggs.  

Moreover, the facility accommodates entire families seeking a comprehensive solution to fitness and wellness – even young children. "We wanted a children’s area where kids could start being healthy," says Riggs. "It’s not just a babysitting area. It’s a place where the kids are being just as active as their parents." 

Rehabilitation is another area in which the facility excels. Onsite are cardiac rehabilitation programs as well as physical therapists. "Some insurance companies may not cover the amount of physical therapy a patient truly needs to safely become active again," says Riggs. "In fact, for some who have never exercised, they may be in a state of flux – where they are officially finished with therapy, but they’re not really healthy yet. The idea is to come here for rehab and post-rehab with our athletic trainers to keep those people active." The Pavilion also houses a spa and integrative health and medicine center that includes acupuncture, aromatherapy, nail care, massage and skin care. 

The benefits of being connected to a healthcare network are myriad. Safety standards and regulation compliance are uniform across all TriHealth facilities, including the Pavilion. Additionally, everyone on the fitness floor is CPR certified and a degreed, accredited fitness professional. The athletic trainers are educated to deal with complex rehabilitations – hip replacements, stroke patients and those coming from cardiac rehab. On staff are dietitians as well as cancer exercise specialists. "There are true professionals here," says Riggs. "This is their line of work, their professional career." 

TriHealth’s medical records database, EPIC, is also integrated with the Pavilion, and doctors are encouraged through a national nonprofit (Exercise Is Medicine initiative) to ask their patients about how many minutes per week they exercise. TriHealth then puts that physical activity metric into the EPIC charts so that physicians can send a prescription for exercise. The outcomes are tracked and reported through the system to improve quality. 

"Exercise is excellent medicine," Riggs says. "It also just happens to be the most economical investment you can make in yourself." 

TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion is located at 6200 Pfeiffer Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242. You can reach them at 513.985.0900 or visit their website www.TriHealthPavilion.com. TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion is located at 6200 Pfeiffer Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242. You can reach them at 513.985.0900 or visit their website www.TriHealthPavilion.com.