SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Shield of California and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) are collaborating to provide Lifestyle Medicine continuing medical education and other training tools to the nonprofit health plan’s in-network healthcare providers.
ACLM is a professional medical association focused on advancing the clinical practice of Lifestyle Medicine, which uses evidence-based therapeutic approaches to prevent, treat and reverse lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Interventions include a plant-based diet; regular physical activity; adequate sleep; stress management; tobacco cessation; and other non-drug interventions.
With this new collaboration, Blue Shield becomes the first health plan to offer its in-network healthcare professionals access to discounted ACLM courses, membership, conference registration, board certification review coursework and registration for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine exam. By encouraging its network providers to become trained in Lifestyle Medicine, the nonprofit health plan believes more Californians will be able to access these non-invasive, patient-centered treatment programs.
“Evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine can make a real difference in tackling many of the top health conditions hampering people’s wellness,” said Terry Gilliland, M.D., senior vice president and chief health officer at Blue Shield of California. “We want to help our members maximize their health, and this new collaboration enhances our existing Lifestyle Medicine programs that are already seeing remarkable results.”
Blue Shield’s award-winning Wellvolution™ platform was established in 2008, and today it offers a suite of in-person and technology-enabled programs to help members prevent, treat and even reverse illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
In addition, Blue Shield will join ACLM’s Lifestyle Medicine Corporate Roundtable, a group of more than 25 corporate and academic organizations whose goal is to infuse Lifestyle Medicine into the delivery of health care.
“Blue Shield is taking a bold step to fill the void that exists in medical education today for training in areas such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress management,” said George Guthrie, M.D., MPH, FACLM, president of ACLM. “Because Lifestyle Medicine can effectively prevent, treat and even reverse chronic disease at its very root cause, it can be viewed as real health reform. Blue Shield has now led the way for its counterparts to play a part in that reform.”
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $17 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company’s mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services or visit www.blueshieldca.com.
About the American College of Lifestyle Medicine
ACLM is the professional medical association for those dedicated to the advancement and clinical practice of Lifestyle Medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle Medicine involves the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic approaches, such as a predominantly whole food, plant-based diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substance use, and other non-drug modalities, to prevent, treat, and, oftentimes, reverse the lifestyle-related, chronic disease that's all too prevalent. ACLM addresses the need for quality education and certification, supporting its members in their individual practices and in their collective desire to domestically and globally promote Lifestyle Medicine as the first treatment option, as opposed to a first option of treating symptoms and consequences with expensive, ever-increasing quantities of pills and procedures. Join today at http://www.LifestyleMedicine.org.
