Selling Points to Potential Partners

Click here for a PDF version

Health Care Providers/Associations and Payers

• Improve patient outcomes through proven disease management and exercise programs.  The AF Self-Help Program was shown to result in a 20% decrease in pain at  four years, and the AF Aquatic Program and AF Exercise Program can improve function and overall health status.
• Help reduce health care costs. AF Self-Help Program participants were shown to have decreased physician visits and lower health care costs, (estimated to be $2.5 million over four years with 10,000 participants) and AF Exercise Program participants had fewer emergency room visits.
• Provide a value-added service to your members.
• Strengthen your community relations.   Holding arthritis programs can position your organization as a key resource in addressing a growing population and the most common cause of disability in the U.S.
• Save time, money and effort by adopting the AF’s existing quality programs.

Businesses

• Reduce societal costs and possibly improve your ability to control health care costs.  Arthritis imposes significant health care and disability management costs on employers, particularly for larger businesses that are self–insured. Arthritis costs the U.S. economy $128 billion dollars, including $80.8 billion in direct medical costs and $47 billion in lost wages (2003 figures).
• Provide resources to help address the most common cause of disability in the U.S. AF programs can help your employees reduce their arthritis pain and improve their function.
• Better health means better business.  Involvement in this effort can strengthen your company's reputation and good will, provide greater access to key customer groups and heighten employee motivation, morale and retention.

Exercise Sites/ Fitness/ Wellness Clubs/ Parks and Recreation Departments

• Become affiliated with the AF, a nationally-recognized leader in arthritis exercise resources.
• Offer safe and effective programs specially designed by experts and tailored for people with arthritis. 
• Provide specialized training and certification for your staff to deliver high-quality programs.
• Take advantage of professionally-produced marketing materials that can be localized to help you promote the programs.
• Expand your constituent base by serving people with physical challenges who may not participate in your programs today.
• Save on staff time and enhance your offerings with easy-to-implement packaged programs.
• Generate income by offering programs targeted to your client base.

Aging Networks, Faith Associations, Service Organizations

• Fulfill your mission to promote health and quality of life by providing the AF’s evidence-based, joint-friendly programs.
• Partner with the AF, a trusted source of quality arthritis resources.
• Provide the community with high-quality programs that fit the lifelong exercise needs of the growing aging population with arthritis.
• Strengthen your constituent/community relations by offering programs that will enhance your image as a leader in addressing the most cause of disability in the U.S.
• Save time and money by implementing pre-packaged programs with proven results.
• Use the AF’s exercise and self-management education to promote independence, a key goal of the older adult and chronically disabled populations. 

Colleges/ Area Health Education/ University Extension Services

• Expand your constituent base and education offerings by providing the AF’s evidence-based programs.
• Enhance your offerings with the AF’s ready-to-go packaged programs.
• Provide specialized training and certification for your staff to deliver high-quality programs. 

Organizations Representing Priority Populations

• Play an active role in reducing health disparities among groups that have a greater risk of morbidity from arthritis.
• Ensure that your constituents are involved in appropriately delivering the programs.
• Provide high-quality, ready-to-go programs from a trusted source, the AF.