Press Release, 11/6/08
Award Presented to Program For Healthier State Employees
The Washington Wellness team (Shyloh Wideman, Amelia Holl, Scott Pritchard, Kathleen Clark, and Sara Eve Sarliker) accept the IHPM leadership award for Value-Based Health.
2008 IHPM Award Acceptance Video
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2008
CONTACT: Dave Wasser 360-923-2711
Award presented to program for healthier state employees
Healthy Worksite Initiative honored by Institute for Health and Productivity Management
OLYMPIA - Washington Wellness, a state program designed to improve the health of state employees, has received a leadership award for Value-Based Health from the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM). The IHPM specifically cited Washington Wellness’ Healthy Worksite Initiative, a demonstration project designed to identify health risks in an employee population, then develop programs at work to help employees improve their health. Early identification and treatment of health risks is a major focus for the project.
Washington Wellness is a program administered by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
Employees in the participating state agencies began the initiative by taking health risk assessments and onsite screening to identify health risks in the workforce. The results will be used to guide policy and environmental changes designed to help workers make better choices about their health. The health risk screening will be repeated to measure workforce health improvements.
“We feel there is a correlation between strong organizations and a healthier workforce,” said HCA Administrator Steve Hill. “We hope to determine how the health of employees impacts the workplace in our report to the Legislature in December 2010.”
“Preventing health problems is much better than treating them. The health risk assessments showed us some ways we can help our employees,” said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. “We’re using that information to make changes so it’s easier for staff to make healthier choices.”
The initiative involves employees from seven state agencies including the Department of Financial Institutions; the Department of Health; the Department of Natural Resources; the Department of Social and Health Services; the Employment Security Department; the Higher Education Coordinating Board; and the Office of the Attorney General.
“Washington Wellness joins the distinguished ranks of last year’s IHPM award winners - Intel, Proctor & Gamble, Marriott, and Cerner - as a leader at the expanding value-based movement that is transforming health benefits and programs from costs into investments in their human capital,” said Sean Sullivan, President of IHPM.
The IHPM is a global enterprise created in 1997. Their mission is to define and promote value, instead of cost, as the basis for health management and benefit plan design.
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