The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center’s Monica Urqhuart, RN, employee health nurse and Robert Patterson, vice president of human resources and rehabilitation therapy showcasing the 2014 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award.
Berlin, VT – The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center (UVMHN-CVMC) received the 2014 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award from the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The award recognizes Vermont employers who have made healthy behaviors a priority.
The vision of UVMHN-CVMC’s wellness committee is “To improve the health and well-being of the CVMC community through health education and activities that will support positive lifestyle changes, resulting in improved productivity and morale, and decreased health care costs.”
Wellness committee members include: Kate Anderson, Charity Pratt, Frank Foti, Michael Kennedy, Pam Passburg, Robert Patterson, Sara Pryce, Rebecca Schubert, Kristin Sweet, Terry Redmond, Monica Urquhart and Kelley Willis.
The wellness program offers at least one physical activity challenge per year, pays the entrance fee for the Vermont Corporate Cup race, maintains a one mile walking path on the main campus and organizes a Fun Run 5 mile run/walk event as a fundraiser event for the health care share program. The health care share program provides food-insecure patients and employees with local farm-fresh food each week of the growing season.
UVMHN-CVMC offers annual flu vaccines to all employees. The goal was for 75 percent of employees to receive the flu vaccine. The outcome was that 78% percent of employees were vaccinated.
A measurable objective for nutrition was to increase the number of employees who always eat breakfast or eat breakfast most days from 76 percent to 80 percent of those participating in the health assessment survey. They beat the goal with 85 percent of employees eating breakfast.
The medical center has conducted biometric screenings for the past three years, measuring participation rates and biometric data. The aggregate biometric data is used to assess employee population risk factors and develop programs to address the highest risk factors. There has been an improvement in blood pressure and blood sugar numbers over a span of three years.
The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center is part of a four-hospital system established to deliver high quality academic medicine to every community we serve. Our partners are: The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, The University of Vermont Medical Center and Elizabethtown Community Hospital.