Why gyms need medical integration now

What’s up Gym World?

We’re diving into a topic on a lot of gym owners’ minds: how medical wellness is starting to intersect with coaching and training. That includes GLP-1 medications, hormone therapy, and telehealth programs.

Some owners see these tools as a threat, many are completely onboard, and others aren’t sure how they fit into the gym environment at all.

That’s why Mateo sat down with Dave Appel, Chief Health and Fitness Officer at KORB Health Group, who has spent decades coaching, running a gym, and helping members overcome barriers to long-term results. They talked about what this shift means for gyms and how owners can think about it in a practical way.

Here’s what Dave had to say 👇

What Dave learned from decades in fitness

Dave has spent nearly 30 years in physical education, fitness technology, coaching, gym ownership, and now medical wellness. Throughout that time, he focused on helping people build habits that support consistent progress and long-term results.

Early in his career, Dave introduced heart-rate technology in schools and gyms. At the time, this kind of tech wasn’t common outside elite sports. He found that giving people data about their heart rate made a difference, helping students and members adjust their intensity, stay consistent, and follow their training more closely.

Later, as the owner of SoLa CrossFit in Austin, Dave experienced firsthand how coaching, community, and accountability keep members engaged for years. People who felt supported kept showing up even when life got busy. Still, he noticed that some members struggled to lose weight, gain strength, or reach their goals despite putting in the work.

That’s when Dave realized that fitness alone isn’t enough for everyone. Some members face metabolic, hormonal, or other health challenges that make it harder to reach their goals without additional support.

Why medical wellness matters for gyms

Some gym owners hesitate to bring tools like GLP-1s or hormone therapy into their gyms. They worry about things like:

• Medication replacing coaching

• Losing members if medical options are offered

• Viewing medication as cheating or undermining effort

But as Dave pointed out, the reality is members are already asking about these tools or using them on their own. If gyms don’t talk about it, members may get information from outside sources that don’t understand their needs or goals.

How KORB supports gyms

KORB offers a simple way for gyms to bring medical wellness into their facilities without adding complexity. They’re a telehealth-based provider that partners with gyms, giving members access to clinician-led programs and prescription support for things like medically supervised weight loss and hormone optimization.

Here’s what that looks like:

• KORB doesn’t replace coaching or community

• Gyms don’t need to build clinics or hire medical staff

• The medical side is handled entirely through telehealth

• Gyms can stay focused on training, relationships, and accountability

What sets successful gyms apart

When Dave works with a gym, he first looks at whether adding medical wellness makes sense for the members and the culture.

The gyms that do it well focus on supporting their people and community. That means:

• Start with education, not sales. They make sure members understand what the tools do and how they complement training.

• Train coaches so conversations feel natural. Coaches can answer questions confidently and support members without pushing products.

• Let interest come from members. The gym doesn’t force medical services; it responds when members ask.

• Present medical support as an extension of care. These tools enhance what members are already doing, instead of replacing effort or coaching.

What this means for the future

Dave believes the next decade will bring tighter integration between fitness and medical care. Telehealth is still new, but younger generations are already comfortable managing parts of their health digitally. And as these members age, they’ll expect fitness and medical support to work together.

He also pointed out that if fitness participation rose from roughly 23 percent to 30 percent of the population, most gyms wouldn’t be able to support the volume without better systems. Medical integration is one way gyms can help more members succeed while keeping coaches and staff from burning out.

TL;DR: Takeaway for gym owners

Dave doesn’t think every gym needs to offer medical services. What he does think every owner should ask themselves is whether this helps members get better results and stay engaged longer.

Asking that question regularly will help gyms prepare for the future of fitness and medical integration while keeping what makes their community special.

For more stories and practical insights from gym owners and industry leaders, head over to Gym World and see what’s working in gyms like yours.

‘til next week,

j