Health Care
Health Care

Wellness in the Workplace Makes a Difference!

The Longview Partnership joins forces with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Heart Association to promote Start! The Start! Fit-Friendly Recognition Program was designed for employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthier lives though walking. The program encourages change in the workplace by implementing a worksite physical activity program and promoting a culture of activity.
By participating in the Start! Fit-Friendly Recognition Program you can have access to:
  •  Program resources, including the free Start! Walking Program and My Start! Online fitness tracker
  •  Materials that help promote company wellness programs to employees
  •  Newsletter templates for internal distribution to employees
  • Consultation on CPR/AE (automated external defibrillator) programs
How can your company get more information? Contact American Heart Association at (903) 323-8800 and ask for information on Start! Be sure and tell them the Longview Partnership encouraged you to call!
WORKSITE WELLNESS RESOURCES
The American Heart Association has joined with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other groups to form the first U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance. This alliance is a broad based national organization of businesses, heath care advocates, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the vision that a healthier workforce will result in a stronger and fiscally healthier economy. For more information about the U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance, please visit uswwa.org.
The American Heart Association’s Start! initiative calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthy lives through walking. It offers resources for employers to implement a walking program in the workplace and track employees’ progress in the program. One of Start’s key components is the Longview Area Start! Heart Walk which aims to get Americans up and moving for 30 minutes.  This year's Heart Walk is October 30, 2010.   To register, visit heartwalk.kintera.org/longviewtx.
STATISTICS
  • Health care costs in the United States doubled from 1990 to 2001 and are expected to double again by 2012.
  • Chronic illnesses affect more than a third of working-age Americans and the costs associated with chronic diseases account for approximately 75 percent of the nation’s annual health care costs.
  • Over 130 million Americans are employed across the United States and since a significant part of their day is spent at work, comprehensive, culturally sensitive health promotion within the workplace is essential to maintain and improve the nation’s health.
  • Nearly 60 percent of employers’ after-tax profits are spent on corporate health benefits. An estimated 25-30 percent of companies’ medical costs per year are spent on employees with excess health risk. That contrasts to three decades ago when only seven percent of corporate profits paid for health costs.
  • Addressing risk factors early can make a difference. For example, $5.6 billion in heart disease costs could be saved if one-tenth of Americans began a regular walking program.
  • Employer spending on health promotion and chronic disease prevention is a good business investment. Programs have achieved a rate of return on investment ranging from $3 to $15 for each dollar invested with savings realized within 12 to 18 months.
Take action today by calling the American Heart Association, (903) 323-8800.
 

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