Community partner spotlight: Prescription for nature

PaRx, a prescription for nature, is Canada’s national, evidence-based nature prescription program.

PaRx prescribers — any licensed healthcare professional who registers with the initiative — will receive a nature prescription file customized with a unique provider code and instructions for prescribing and logging prescriptions.

As a prescriber, you can prescribe one free annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass per month to eligible patients.

Why prescribe nature:

• Research suggests spending time in nature has a wide range of positive effects on human health.
• Studies reveal written prescriptions are better received than oral advice in motivating patients to make a change.
• Surveys show that physicians and nurses are among the most trusted health professionals.

PaRx recommendation: Prescribe two hours a week, 20 – 30 minutes at a time because research shows that people who spend two hours per week in nature report better health and well-being and the most efficient drop in cortisol happens between the 20- and 30-minute mark.

Eligibility:

• Anybody who can benefit from an increase in physical activity can benefit from a PaRx prescription.

Access:

• Licensed healthcare professionals register with PaRx to become prescribers.
• Use your nature prescription file to either print and hand over or email the completed PaRx prescription to your patient.
• Log your PaRx using your unique code and email address while checking “I am prescribing a Parks Canada Discovery Pass” box.
• Have your patient log their PaRx using your unique code and their own email address; PaRx will email your patient to request their address to send them the Parks Canada Discovery Pass.

You can find and reference previously spotlighted services in the community partner spotlight archive.