Everyone Active and EXI worked together to develop and deploy a hybrid exercise referral scheme (ERS) combining Everyone Active’s specialist exercise referral qualified instructors with EXI’s digital physical activity prescription, and access to their national network of leisure centres. The service was used by over 2350 people with an inactive lifestyle and, often multiple, long term health conditions.
Data collected from users indicates positive results including increased weekly activity minutes and steps, and improvements in key health measures including weight, resting heart rate and blood pressure.
This case study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating a digital therapeutic into ERS, and delivering the service on a national scale. The partnership between Everyone Active and EXI garnered significant learning and has resulted in a template for future successful deployment of EXI into ERS or similar schemes. Fitness and leisure providers now have a new opportunity to deliver safe, personalised and cost-effective physical activity services to individuals living with long term health conditions. The use of digital therapeutics has the potential to extend the reach and scope of ERS, and thereby reduce both health inequalities and overall disease burden.
