Providence Hospitals receives American Heart Association recognition as a Fit-Friendly Worksite
January 21, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Providence Hospitals has been recognized as a Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more.
“Physical activity and employee wellness are significant initiatives at Providence Hospitals,” says Director of Health & Wellness Carmen Wilson, MHA, ATC. “We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite and are committed to providing a healthy workplace environment.”
Gold employers:
• Offer employees physical activity support.
• Provide healthy eating options at the worksite.
• Promote a wellness culture.
• Implement at least nine criteria as outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture.
Providence Hospitals offers employees healthy options in the cafeteria, encourages employees to take the stairs and offers Fit-Bit activity trackers at a discount for employees.
The Fit-Friendly Worksites program is a catalyst for positive change in the American workforce by helping worksites make their employees’ health and well-being a priority.
American employers are losing an estimated $225.8 billion a year because of health care expenses and health-related losses in productivity, and those numbers are rising. Many American adults spend most of their waking hours at sedentary jobs. Their lack of regular physical activity raises their risk for a host of medical problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Employers face $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The American Heart Association is working to change corporate cultures by motivating employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.
About Providence Hospitals, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System
Providence Hospitals is the leading provider of cardiovascular and orthopedic services in the Midlands. Providence is composed of two hospitals, 13 physician practices, a network of rehabilitation centers, two sleep centers, a school of cardiac diagnostics and an accredited chest pain center. In total, Providence employs more than 2,000 dedicated staff.
Founded in 1938 by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, Providence is known statewide for outstanding clinical quality and compassionate care. The Providence open-heart surgery program has ranked consistently in the top 15 percent of open-heart programs for the past six and a half years. Both the orthopedics and cardiac services have received the South Carolina BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction Center designation. For more information, visit www.providencehospitals.com.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Our mission drives everything we do. To improve the lives of all Americans, we provide public health education in a variety of ways. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.
