How do we manage a situation where a client becomes distressed at being asked to seek further guidance from a medical or allied health professional as part of a pre-exercise screening process?
It is true that clients have often overcome quite a few hurdles to even make an inquiry with a fitness or health service, and that the last thing we want to do is turn them away (potentially to competition down the road).
It is also true that the fitness and health industry has to date employed relatively inconsistent pre-exercise screening practices and for some sectors there has been little or no screening at all.
Aim to:
- Re-frame the situation, so that rather than denying access you are seeking guidance prior to developing an appropriate exercise program. Focus on the good that will come out of the process.
- Re-educate your clients about why screening is important, why we do it and what to expect from our industry. A client would be unlikely to be dissatisfied with a Physiotherapist or GP who wanted to ask health screening questions prior to prescribing treatment. This is because they expect it, based on the existing reputation of such professions.
- Be flexible. Does the client need to book an appointment with a medical or allied health professional, or if they are an existing patient, can you contact their treating professional by phone or email to gain further advice to assist in exercise prescription?
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