New initiative targets employee wellness

A recent survey of Children's Hospital employees found that 76 percent thought it highly important to talk to patients and their families about health behaviors. However, just 37 percent of that number reported that they do this type of wellness counseling.

That disconnect is part of the reason for rolling out an innovative new program called the Children's Hospital Wellness Initiative that recently launched at a luncheon sponsored by the Boeing Center for Children's Wellness. "The initiative will focus on getting more employees involved with wellness, nutrition and fitness activities so they can encourage patients to adopt healthier lifestyles," said Janice D. Key, M.D., co-director of the center's Lean Team.

"You can't be preaching wellness without practicing it."

Registered nurses Ryan Curry, left, and Jill Evans are offering up office space for one of the mini-gyms. Both love the idea of making health and fitness more convenient. Evans said employees can push each other by working out together.

That message played out with the Lean Team's efforts to create healthier school environments. The Lean Team was created in July 2007 as a partnership between MUSC's Division of Adolescent Medicine and the Charleston County School District with the goal of preventing and treating childhood obesity through family-centered clinical programs paired with policy and environmental changes in schools and communities.

Research revealed that the healthiest schools were ones that had a robust staff wellness program. Similarly, research suggests that health care providers who engage in healthy behaviors are more likely to counsel their patients on these issues.

The initiative, led by Key, director of adolescent medicine, and Susan Johnson, Ph.D., director of the Office of Health Promotion, will be a collaborative project involving different groups to target Children's Hospital employees, including Employee Wellness, Weight Management, Sodexo, Boeing Center and dietetic interns. There will be preventative services, including worksite screenings, mobile mammograms and sleep screenings. The program will be managed through the Boeing Center for Children's Wellness by registered dietitian Lucie Maguire Kramer.

Kramer interprets the survey results and works collaboratively to implement programs. "I am enthusiastic about working with Children's Hospital staff to bring them the programs they want to facilitate an environment of wellness. This is a very unique endeavor for a children's hospital, which makes it even more exciting."

Weight Management will be providing a 10-week program, Healthy Happy Hour that will start Oct. 8. The interactive class-based program teaches healthy behavior changes. There is a 50 percent refund for successful completion of the $98 program, an incentive paid by the Boeing Center. To register, email browjosh@musc.edu.

In the arena of physical activity, there will be fitness testing, a walking program, a desk workout program, signage for indoor and outdoor walking and biking trails, a stairwell program, development of a physical activity and break policy as well as the creation of break room mini-gyms. As far as nutrition goals, employees will receive incentives for purchasing wellness items in the cafeteria and various educational opportunities, including cooking classes, will be provided. There also will be a seminar series on topics from stress management to sleep hygiene.

Key said she's amazed at the scope and depth of the project and how it pulls together so many of MUSC's resources to support Children's Hospital employees in adopting healthier lifestyles.

Johnson added that there's a big push nationwide for hospitals to be leaders of change in creating a culture of health. They will be providing assessments and evaluations to see what parts of the program do well or may need to be revamped. What they learn will help shape expanding this program to other areas of the hospital.

Through work with the S.C. Hospital Association and the Working Well program, her office has access to nationally recognized, evidence-based assessment tools that allow comparisons against industry standards for hospital-based employee wellness.

"This pilot is an excellent opportunity for us to move beyond the initial criteria for healthy hospitals and provide evidence that could support the expansion of prevention efforts on a national level," said Johnson.

Part of the initiative is getting good employee feedback. A Wellness Program Needs and Interest Survey was completed by 312 participants in the Children's Hospital. It was administered to Children's Hospital faculty, nurses, food and environmental services, child life specialists, volunteer services, faculty and residents between February and August to assess current health status and behaviors, to generate baseline data and guide program development.

Among its findings were that 26 percent of employees reported being 20 pounds or more overweight and 36 percent, up to 20 pounds overweight. Eighteen percent said they rarely exercised and 45 percent reported lower back pain in the past six months. Twenty-eight percent reported that they regularly practice stress management with 47 percent reporting that they allow themselves a five to 10 minute break.

"With more than 12,000 employees, individualized programming is virtually impossible, so the pilot was designed with the creation of target groups based on job responsibilities as well as current health levels and interests," said Johnson. The survey highlighted health issues specific to work groups, which gave insight into program development and in particular, scheduling.

However, baseline data and needs assessments aren't enough to guarantee success.

"We could have the best program in the world but if people don't know about it, we won't be successful," said Johnson, adding that's why they created a wellness committee and are recruiting individual wellness champions. Kramer said Wellness Champions are an integral part of the team, serving as the primary contact for their area.
"Serving as a wellness champion will not take a lot of extra time but is essential to the success of the overall wellness program and can be rewarding."

For information about the program or being a champion, visit www.musc.edu/lean_team/chwellness/index.htm or contact Kramer at maguirel@musc.edu or Johnson at johnsusa@musc.edu.

Friday, Oct. 12, 2012