PWC has achieved re-certification by the Medical Fitness Association (MFA), the country’s leading organization dedicated solely to medically integrated fitness facilities. As a certified facility, PWC offers the professional expertise and programming necessary to safely and effectively assist people, regardless of current health status, to develop and maintain an active lifestyle that minimizes the risk of illness and promotes health and wellness. The Medical Fitness Association Facility Certification is recognized as a mark of excellence in the health and wellness industry. PWC qualified for recertification with a score of 100 percent.
PWC director Eric Good said, “We are proud to be a part of a select group of industry leaders who are committed to improving health and promoting wellness through exercise. With the current challenges facing our health care system, disease prevention through maintenance of a healthy lifestyle is vitally important.”
The certification process involves an in-depth, on-site review of a facility’s adherence to internationally recognized Standards and Guidelines for Medical Fitness Facilities. “The certification process is intensive and represents real teamwork among our staff members in all departments from group exercise to medical programs to personal training,” said Good.
PWC’s volunteer Medical Advisory Committee is part of the center’s team. Composed of local medical professionals, the MAC provides active and regular medical oversight, an important role unique to MFA certified facilities. The MAC advises staff in the development and oversight of fitness programs designed for people with chronic health conditions like obesity, heart disease, Parkinson’s, arthritis and more.
PWC serves the local community by providing fitness scholarships to community members who must be referred by their physician and meet income guidelines. To maintain a scholarship, recipients must actively participate in an 8-week supervised group exercise program, known as FitScripts, designed to increase activity and improve overall health. PWC also focuses on community health by offering free special events that include health education programs and screenings.
According to Good, the MFA certification and medical fitness focus set PWC apart from traditional fitness centers. He said, “MFA certification requires that our staff have industry-specific credentials to ensure high quality programming. We work closely with local physicians to help our members prevent illness and chronic disease and recover more quickly and completely after a medical event. Our staff are well-trained in emergency response and ensuring member safety. Currently, PWC is one of only two certified medical fitness facilities in Virginia and offers a member experience that simply isn’t available elsewhere in our region.”
In 2021, a 10-year study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shed light on the benefits of regular attendance at a medical fitness facility such as Powell Wellness Center. The study provided evidence that regular attendance at a medical fitness facility resulted in positive member outcomes such as a 60% lower risk of death and 13% lower risk of hospitalization, compared outcomes for individuals who do not attend such a facility. Read the study
Members of the PWC team gather in celebration of the recertification (from left to right: Whitney, Bobby, Stacey, Yasmin, Deatra, L)auvita, Geneva (front), Jessica (back), Josh, Demetria, Eric and Heather
