Doctor’s orders: Go play in the park

The trend for doctors to prescribe physical activity is sweeping the nation and South Dakota is onboard with a program called Park Rx. The Park Rx program encourages doctors to prescribe exercise and when they do, the patient can take the Park Rx prescription to any South Dakota state park and turn it in for a free one-day pass or a discounted annual pass.

The program is a collaboration between the South Dakota Department of Health, the Department of Game, Fish and Parks and health care providers. Providers can use the online form to request a Park Rx prescription pad or find more information.