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The South
Carolina Hospital Association and
North Carolina Prevention Partners
recognized MUSC for providing the
highest standard of excellence for
the healthy food environments
offered to employees, patients and
visitors.
Hospitals
receiving this acknowledgment are
considered Gold Apple Hospitals as
a part of the Working Well
initiative. MUSC joins three other
South Carolina hospitals in
receiving this award. Working Well
is an effort to improve the health
of hospital employees across the
state of South Carolina by
creating worksite wellness
environments where the healthy
choice is the easy choice. It is
funded by The Duke Endowment,
based on NC Prevention Partners'
success in developing
infrastructure for effective
worksite wellness programs in
North Carolina, and is managed by
the S.C. Hospital Association.
 Dr. Susan Johnson
stands next to the healthy
vending machine at the Wellness
Center. A healthy vending
machine also is in the lobby of
the Colbert Education Center
& Library. Jen Wright,
Working Well manager, will be
presenting MUSC executive
leadership and members of the
wellness team with the Gold
Apple recognition at noon March
1 during a celebration event in
the Horseshoe.
Susan Johnson,
Ph.D., wellness program
coordinator, said the award is
important recognition that MUSC
sets access to healthy food as a
priority. "As a center of
excellence and Gold Apple
recipient, we are held accountable
for not only meeting the highest
standards set forth by the Working
Well project, but also sharing our
successes and experiences with
others."
In order to
receive this recognition, MUSC
addressed several aspects of how
it provides, prices and markets
healthy food options, as
recommended by NC Prevention
Partners. MUSC worked with its
food management company, Sodexo,
to provide healthy options at
every station and to post
nutrition information for all
items in the cafeteria.
Fresh, local
produce is available through
weekly farmers markets held on
campus as well as delivery service
of locally sourced food and
produce through Community
Supported Agriculture programs.
Healthy vending machines serving
only all-natural, organic and
preservative-free items have been
installed in several buildings on
campus and existing vending
machines feature a "traffic lite"
system to identify healthy
choices. A 5 cent surcharge has
been added to unhealthy items,
with proceeds benefiting the MUSC
Heart Health pediatric weight
management program, part of the
Boeing Center for Children's
Wellness.
MUSC President
Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., said
MUSC appreciates the recognition
and looks forward to the expansion
of wellness and health promotion
beyond the campus. "As a leader in
health education in South
Carolina, we feel a responsibility
to create an environment in which
people can learn about and pursue
healthy eating."
In addition to
changing food environments, MUSC
also is using education and
benefits to support healthy
behaviors. Newsletters, weekly
columns in MUSC's newspaper The
Catalyst, daily broadcast message
tips and Facebook provide
information on healthy eating and
special events. These special
events include live cooking
demonstrations and "eat this,
learn that" lunch and learn
sessions.
Coming this
spring, a new MUSC Community
Garden will be made available as a
living classroom where a variety
of fruits, vegetables, and herbs
grown in South Carolina will be
harvested for use by staff,
faculty and the community. MUSC's
Nutrition Services website also
offers educational resources and
teaching opportunities to faculty
and staff.
Jen Wright, Working Well manager,
praised MUSC's efforts.
"Already
recognized as a Working Well
Center of Excellence, MUSC is once
again proving their leadership in
employee wellness. This initiative
and the Gold Apple recognition
aren't about taking away options;
they're about eliminating excuses
and making it easier to choose
health. MUSC has done this by
providing increased access to
healthy food while taking away the
economic burden by making the
healthy choice the less expensive
one."
Johnson said
the award represents an important
shift in attitude.
"I believe that
what will sustain this effort is
the cultural change that we are
creating throughout the
organization. My hope is that as
this shift continues, making
healthy choices and eating fresh,
local food will become the norn,
not the exception."
National
Nutrition Month
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 1,
Library portico
- Live cooking
demonstration
- Free samples
available
- Recipes,
nutritional information
- Farmers
market
- Local food
vendors
- Gold Apple
presentation
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