It is groundbreaking for health plans to recognize this powerful evidence-based, first-line approach to chronic disease treatment.
ST. LOUIS (PRWEB)
October 27, 2022
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has announced the addition of the progressive health plan Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont to its Lifestyle Medicine Corporate Roundtable, a group of thought leaders and industry professionals who explore effective clinical innovations, activate marketing strategies, accelerate reimbursement and policy adoption, and pursue research and demonstrations of lifestyle medicine in practice. ACLM launched its Corporate Roundtable in 2016 and it now includes nearly 50 active member organizations in the lifestyle medicine ecosystem.
Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle medicine certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive social connections— also provides effective prevention for these conditions.
“Lifestyle medicine is a solution to improve patient outcomes, lower costs, improve patient experience, improve provider experience and address health equity,” said ACLM President Cate Collings, MD, FACC, DipABLM. “It is groundbreaking for health plans to recognize this powerful evidence-based, first-line approach to chronic disease treatment. We welcome Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont to our Corporate Roundtable.”
As the state’s only local, not-for-profit health plan, the goal at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is to help its members live healthier, more active lives. For over 30 years, the organization has been enhancing the health and well-being of the Vermonters they serve by offering innovative benefits to individuals, older Vermonters, and businesses.
The health plan is dedicated to finding new ways to support high-quality care, programs, and events that promote wellness, and now, lifestyle medicine. This new partnership will enable the expansion of lifestyle medicine programs and training throughout their clinical network in Vermont.
“As a health plan, we are working diligently to offer lifestyle medicine and support our members with interventions that, over decades of research and published literature, have been proven to change the trajectory of one’s health outcomes,” said Don George, President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. “This gives patients the tools and education to become their own health advocate and champion. We are pleased to collaborate with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Corporate Roundtable in support of educating, empowering and engaging our members in positive health practices.”
ABOUT BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF VERMONT — As the state’s only local, not-for-profit health plan, the goal at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is to help their members live healthier, more active lives. For over 30 years, the organization has been enhancing the health and well-being of the Vermonters they serve by offering innovative benefits to individuals, older Vermonters, and businesses. Blue Cross employees are dedicated to finding new ways to support high-quality care, programs, and events that promote wellness. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is located in Berlin, Vermont. For more information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, visit bluecrossvt.org.
ABOUT ACLM — The American College of Lifestyle Medicine is the nation’s medical professional society advancing lifestyle medicine as the foundation for a redesigned, value-based and equitable healthcare delivery system, leading to whole person health. ACLM educates, equips, empowers and supports its members through quality, evidence- based education, certification and research to identify and eradicate the root cause of chronic disease, with a clinical outcome goal of health restoration as opposed to disease management. Learn more at lifestylemedicine.org.
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