A prescription of exercise

Amid the dust and debris, a new comprehensive health and wellness facility is taking shape on the eastern edge of Ector County. Medical Center Hospital hosted a sneak peek of the new structure, which MCH officials said will be a place where medical services and total health converge.

In addition to the cardio and weight equipment that is typically found in gyms, the facility will house a slew of other services and offerings under one roof.

“We’re building to meet the needs of our membership,” Mission Fitness General Manager John Douthitt said.

Douthitt said Mission Fitness aims to meet the specific needs of its clientele. He said there are services in place for those with diabetes, hypertension, cardiopulmonary disease and many other ailments that stand in the way to wellness.

Upon joining, each member of the facility will receive a personalized fitness assessment and an individual training program developed by exercise specialists. This allows personnel to learn the member’s “baseline fitness”, Douthitt said. Aquatic aerobics classes will be offered in a warm water therapy pool along with therapies certified by the Arthritis Foundation.

This was exciting to future member Lynn Thompson.

Thompson made the drive from Midland to check out the progress on the facility after hearing about it from a friend. She said she suffers from arthritis and other joint problems and said she would value a program to help her care for her specific issues. She was so excited by the offerings she saw, she and her husband decided to join on the spot.

“I think this is going to be an awesome place,” Thompson said excitedly. “It’s going to fit all of our needs.”

Thompson said even though it will be a longer drive to Mission Fitness than it is to her current gym, she thinks the benefits will be worth it.

Adjacent to Mission Fitness, the facility will have an Urgent Care Center that will include outpatient diagnostics including digital mammography, x-ray, ultrasound and CAT scan. A physician will be on staff to oversee these procedures.

“We didn’t have any organized medical services on this side of town,” MCH Associate Administrator Carol Durham said referring to the facility’s location near the Midland County line.

Durham said the land for the center was selected after much research and consideration of the rapid urban and residential development. MCH also hopes to attract additional Midland residents. Durham said the nearest facility of this type is in the Dallas area.

This facility is primarily targeted toward a group that isn’t currently active and many services offered by Mission Fitness will be post-rehabilitation in nature. However, Douthitt said those who are “already healthy can certainly come here and stay healthy.”

“In the medical field, we’re seeing a trend toward prevention,” Durham said.

But whether it’s prevention, rehabilitation and continuing health, Douthitt said everyone has a reason for working out.

“People ask me, ‘What motivates you to work out, John?’ And I say, ‘Keeping up with my 4- and 8-year-old kids’,” Douthitt laughed.