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.

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