Worksites take steps to decrease healthcare expenses, increase productivity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 5 th, 2014
2:00 PM
CONTACT:
Pat Holtman, Human Resources Director for Covenant Hospice
(850) 202-0337
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Pensacola, 6/4/204 – Covenant Hospice has been recognized as a Gold-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more. Covenant’s newly partnered wellness vendor, BeniComp Advantage, has assisted them in this health achievement.
“Physical activity and employee wellness are important priorities at Covenant Hospice. We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Gold-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite,” said Pat Holtman, Human Resources Director at Covenant Hospice. “We’re committed to providing the best workplace environment possible. This will benefit our employees’ health and produce even more positive results for our worksite overall.”
Gold-level employers:
- Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace.
- Promote a wellness culture in the workplace.
- Implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture.
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 healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity, and those numbers are rising. Many American adults spend most American Heart Association - 2 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.
Recognition is a critical component of the Fit-Friendly Worksites program. Employers that join this program qualify for official recognition by the American Heart Association. They are listed on the program’s national website.
Qualifying worksites also have the right to use the program’s annual recognition seal for internal communications and with external, recruitment-related communications.
“The Fit-Friendly Worksites Program offers easy-to-implement ways for organizations to help employees eat better and move more, which will help improve their health – and their employer’s bottom line,” said Julie Short, health and wellness executive with BeniComp Advantage. “Even people who haven’t exercised regularly until middle age can reap significant benefits by starting a walking program. A study published in 1986 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that some adults may gain two hours of life expectancy for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise they performed.”
For more information about the Fit-Friendly Worksites program and how it’s helping to improve the health of Americans by focusing on the workplace visit www.heart.org/worksitewellness.
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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 www.heart.org.
About Covenant Hospice
Covenant Hospice is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate services to patients and loved ones during times of life-limiting illnesses. For those interested in learning more about Covenant Hospice, please visit us at covenanthospice.org or call 800-541-3072.
About BeniComp Advantage
Starting in 1962, BeniComp Group developed the wellness product called BeniComp Advantage, receiving exemption from current healthcare guidelines such as HIPAA, ADA, GINA and PPACA. This patent-pending product has approval in all 50 states, has received awards for innovation and best practices, and has been featured in numerous publications for its cutting edge approach to outcomes-based wellness. For more information about BeniComp Advantage, visit www.benicompadvantage.com or call the customer service line at 1-866-222-0102.