Spectrum Health Sees Positive Results from Employee Wellness Program

Launches wellness program for coming fiscal year

Two years ago Spectrum Health bolstered its voluntary employee health and wellness program, offering greater financial incentives to participate. The goal was to motivate staff to improve their health status. Recent data has confirmed that the program is making a positive difference for employees.

Healthy Lifestyles is a voluntary health and wellness program, administered and managed by Priority Health. It is offered annually to Spectrum Health employees. Approximately 7,500 employees in the Grand Rapids area participated last year.

Results among Spectrum Health employees during the past two years include:

Participants with a body mass index or BMI in the healthy range increased by four percent while those with a BMI in the obese range decreased by two percent.
Participants with blood pressure in the ideal range increased by eight percent while those who had blood pressure in the borderline range decreased by eight percent.
Participants with cholesterol levels in the recommended range increased by six percent while those with levels in the borderline range decreased by five percent.

“Our goal for Healthy Lifestyles is to encourage our staff to obtain their optimal health,” says Daniel C. Oglesby, senior vice president, human resources, Spectrum Health. “It is great to see results that demonstrate the program is making a difference.”

Spectrum Health will be launching its new year of Healthy Lifestyles for its employees at a kick-off event on Wednesday, August 20. Nationally acclaimed health and wellness expert Deanna Latson will be the keynote speaker at the morning event (www.gotohealth.com). She is expected to address how families on limited budgets can still eat a healthy diet.

This event is closed to the general public but open to media representatives who R.S.V.P. Please contact Susan Krieger at (616) 391-5541 if you would like to attend.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals, more than 140 service sites and 560,000-member health plan, Priority Health. Spectrum Health’s 14,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care to those in medical need. The organization provided $98.6 million in community benefit during its 2007 fiscal year. Spectrum Health has nearly than 70 national awards during the past 10 years.