Doctors in Washington, D.C. are beginning to write prescriptions for their patients to spend time in parks to improve their health.

Shenandoah National Park. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

The initiative known as D.C. Park Rx is a partnership spearheaded by the National Park Service (NPS), whose Healthy Parks Healthy People program aims to connect people to parks through health promotion while creating the next generation of park stewards.

D.C. Park Rx’s greatest champion is Dr. Robert Zarr, a practicing primary care pediatrician at Unity Health Care’s Upper Cardozo Community Health Center. Dr. Zarr has persuaded 27 of his colleagues to prescribe parks to their patients, and over 500 prescriptions have been made in the past nine months.

Last year a searchable database of 350 city parks was linked to Electronic Medical Records. Those parks are rated based upon access, cleanliness, level of activity and safety. Mapping all of D.C.’s green spaces was an effort that involved volunteers as well as several organizations including the NPS and the National Environmental Education Foundation.

NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis, Dr. Robert Zarr, Dr. Maria Cristi Rueda and a patient holding her park prescription. Photo credit: HealthIT.gov