NHIS & THE LIFESTYLE MEDICINE CLINIC - UPTH - University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

LIFESTYLE MEDICINE CLINIC

THE LIFESTYLE MEDICINE CLINIC

Lifestyle Medicine is a branch of evidence-based medicine in which comprehensive lifestyle changes (including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, social support, and environmental exposures) are used to prevent, treat and reverse the progression of chronic diseases by addressing their underlying causes.

We have 8 members of staff:

2 doctors
1 nurse
A nutritionist
A chef
A social worker
A gym instructor
A health assistant

Lifestyle medicine interventions include health risk assessment screening, health behaviour change counseling and clinical application of lifestyle modification.

History:
The lifestyle Medicine clinic of UPTH began in January 2018. It was borne out of the need to tackle the menace of an increasing prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases(NCDs) by a paradigm shift to treating the cause of the disease in line with global trend.

It is domiciled within the NHIS clinic and runs weekly offering its services predominantly to NHIS clients through periodic medical assessment with a view to prevention, treatment, and reversal of NCDs among these clients.

Protocol:
The clients access services in the clinic through the NHIS records. They are attended to by the nurse where their vital signs and anthropometric measurements are taken. They are directed to the attending physician where they are first educated on the importance of lifestyle medicine. They also undergo health risk assessment screening which helps unveil their individual areas of need for lifestyle modification. Necessary investigations are requested for. During subsequent scheduled visits, results of investigations are reviewed and patient’s areas of need are specifically addressed. This includes exercise prescription, nutrition counseling, stress management, and social support.

Staff Strength:
The clinic is run by Family Physicians with a special interest in Lifestyle Medicine. It is headed by Dr(Mrs) O.N. Onya, a Chief Consultant Family Physician with a special interest in Lifestyle Medicine. She is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Vice President (Membership) of the Society of Lifestyle Medicine Association of Nigeria.

The other Physician is Dr. (Mrs.) A. John, a Fellow of West African College of Physician (Family Medicine). She is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Society of Lifestyle Medicine Association of Nigeria.

Since the clinic is domiciled in the NHIS clinic, other staff are the NHIS staff.

Prospect:
The Lifestyle Medicine clinic aspires to be a stand-alone clinic serving both walk-in and NHIS clinic patients with an independent revolving fund.

The clinic looks forward to greater interdepartmental collaboration.

It looks forward to a team of trained healthcare professionals undertaking its activities. These include a nurse, exercise physiologist, nutrition counselor all trained in lifestyle medicine.

The infrastructural needs of the clinic include a one-stop facility with a clinic area, laboratory, gym area, culinary kitchen. Further services would include disease reversal programmes, Exercise in the workplace program etc.

For more details on the scope of work see

UPTH Service Charter.
For Protocol of service; see UPTH Service Charter.

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University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital East-West Road, Opposite Alakahia Junction Rivers State. P.M.B. 6173

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The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital treats well over 400,000 out-patients per annum, over 10,000 in-patients per annum and well over 3000 surgeries per annum.