South Bend, IN – Beacon Health & Fitness – South Bend announced today that it has achieved certification by the Medical Fitness Association, the country’s leading organization dedicated solely to medically integrated wellness and fitness facilities. This certification represents a significant step forward in improving the health of the entire community and to individuals seeking to take responsibility for their personal health.

“Our team dedicated itself to this process several years ago, and to be among the fewer than 50 clubs worldwide to have achieved this designation represents a level of care and expert programming for our members that is unparalleled,” said Sarah Strefling, Director.

This program is the first and only certification offered specifically to facilities in the medical fitness industry—an industry that serves over four million members worldwide. Based on the Medical Fitness Association’s internationally recognized Standards and Guidelines for Medical Fitness Facilities, the certification process involves an in-depth, on-site review of a facility’s adherence to a set of prescribed standards and guidelines. The certification process is an integral part of ensuring that facilities provide a high level of quality and safety in the programs and services they deliver in order for them to become fully integrated into the local continuum of healthcare. The Medical Fitness Association Facility Certification is recognized as a mark of excellence in the health and wellness industry.

“As the incidence of chronic disease continues to rise, the need for more medically supervised outcomes and accountability based Exercise is Medicine programs has never been more relevant in our industry than today,” said Robert Boone, FACHE, FMFA, President and CEO of the Medical Fitness Association. “It is clear that moving towards a population health prevention model of care with all its necessary components and guidelines is a herculean task. Beacon Health & Fitness – South Bend has taken an important step towards filling a gap in the current care delivery model.”