KentuckyOne Health Louisville Market Recognized as an American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksite - Archived

KentuckyOne Health Louisville Market Recognized as an American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksite
Worksites take steps to decrease healthcare expenses, increase productivity

Louisville, Ky. (January 29, 2015)– KentuckyOne Health Louisville Market facilitates have been recognized as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more.

“Physical activity and employee wellness are important priorities at KentuckyOne Health. We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite,” said Lisa Shannon, COO, KentuckyOne Health. “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.”

To earn platinum-level recognition, American Heart Association employers:

• Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace.
• Increase healthy eating options at the worksite.
• 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.
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.

KentuckyOne Health Louisville Market implemented multiple programs to improve employee health and wellness, including:

• Provided Fitbits to all employees involved in the Wellness Program at a discounted price to participate in our walking challenges.
• Hosted free massage events in all facilities to promote relaxation.
• Offered free apple, orange, or banana in the cafeterias on “Free Fruit Fridays.”
• Updated all cafeteria and patient menus to offer mostly healthy selections (increased from 45% to 75% of menu selections)
       and included nutrition information with all items.
• Expanded Employee Diabetes Program to include more participants and provided consults with a Diabetes Education Pharmacist.
• Provided free biometric screenings annually and offered follow-up checks in the Employee Health Offices.

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 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.

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, call 502-587-8641 or visit heart.org/worksitewellness or startwalkingnow.org

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.

About KentuckyOne Health
KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations including, hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved.  The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.

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