AnMed Health recognized for excellence in employee wellness programs
March 14, 2012
ANDERSON, SC – March 14, 2012 – Working Well, a collaboration between the South Carolina Hospital Association and NC Prevention Partners, has recognized the hospitals affiliated with AnMed Health for meeting its Gold standards for employee wellness programs addressing physical activity, nutrition and tobacco use. Funded by the Duke Endowment, managed by the SC Hospital Association, and informed by NC Prevention Partners’ success in developing infrastructure for effective worksite wellness programs, Working Well is an effort to improve the health of hospital employees across the state of South Carolina by creating worksite wellness environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice.
By addressing how policy, the environment, education, benefits and incentives support healthy employees, AnMed Health is meeting the highest standard of excellence in all three areas of the Working Well initiative. The Gold Medal recognizes hospitals for establishing a culture of wellness where being active is the norm by providing access and opportunity for physical activity during the workday. The Gold Apple is awarded to hospitals that provide delicious, affordable and healthy foods to all employees all the time. The Gold Star is presented in recognition of providing the highest standard of excellence for tobacco cessation programs offered to employees.
John Miller, CEO of AnMed Health, applauded the AnMed Health wellness team for developing such a comprehensive employee wellness program. I’m proud to be recognized by the Working Well initiative for AnMed Health’s ongoing efforts to support employee wellness, Miller said. Our vision to be recognized and celebrated as the gold standard for community health improvement begins with our employees. By making healthy choices available in the workplace, we strive to nurture a culture of wellness and healthy living throughout all levels of the organization.
The employee wellness program at AnMed Health provides employees with access to two onsite medical clinics, health coaching, and visits with a physician with a specialty in integrative medicine. Employees do not have to clock out to visit the clinics or participate in any wellness programs, such as attending SmokeStoppers – a tobacco cessation class. A variety of onsite cues also encourage employees to make healthy choices. A red apple icon labels healthy choices in the cafeteria and vending machines. Onsite physical activity classes and walking trails on each hospital campus provide employees with ways to be active during the workday. Hospital policies work with a city ordinance to create a tobacco-free zone that extends 25 feet beyond AnMed Health campuses. Employee benefits also provide reduced cost access to local physical activity facilities, tobacco cessation counseling and medications, and a diabetes educator. Additionally, employees working on health related goals benefit from reduced health insurance premiums. Together, these efforts aim to make healthy choices the easy choices for AnMed Health employees.
The comprehensive nature of AnMed Health’s employee wellness efforts seems the key to their success, commented Jen Wright, Working Well Manager with the South Carolina Hospital Association. Wellness is truly woven into the fabric of AnMed health culture.
