Congratulations are in order for several North Carolina hospitals that recently met NC Prevention Partners' requirements for a physically active, healthy food, or tobacco-free environment.

 

Congratulations to New Hanover Regional Medical Center who is the first North Carolina hospital to earn all three WorkHealthy America^SM Gold awards: Gold Apple, Gold Star, and Gold Medal! New Hanover Regional Medical Center also named as a Center of Excellence hospital for employee wellness.

Guest blogger Brian Cassell, Food & Nutrition Director at Oconee Medical Center, in Seneca, SC, shares the story of how they redesigned their cafeteria to make the healthy choice the easy choice. 

The holiday season is quickly approaching—and so is that urge to indulge in deliciously decadent holiday foods! Find out more about Eat Smart, Move More's 'Maintain, don't gain' Holiday Challenge to curb those cravings and focus on what the holidays are really about!

The holiday season is quickly approaching—and so is that urge to indulge in deliciously decadent holiday foods! Find out more about Eat Smart, Move More's 'Maintain, don't gain' Holiday Challenge to curb those cravings and focus on what the holidays are really about!

 

 

Food Day is October 24th.

 

 

Healthy Food Environment Nutrition Criteria updated in the WorkHealthyAmerica^SM Nutirion Toolbox.

Guest blogger Stacey Burch describes highlights of a recent Working Well Center of Excellence site visit where Palmetto Health was recognized with the Gold Apple award.  

Guest blogger Holly Mlodzinski shares new wellness opportunities that have emerged at Hilton Head Hospital as part of their participation in the Working Well initiative. 

 

 

Congratulations to Broughton Hospital for earning NC Prevention Partners' Gold Apple recognition for a healthy food environment!

As educators we all know the importance of involvng children and their families in school activities, but how can parental involvement impact school nutrition? Researchers in California identified parental involvement as a key factor in improving school nutrition.  Read on to learn more about healthy fundraisers and how parents can get involved in changing the school food environment. 

In an effort to "practice what they preach" and create healthier communities, all 5 YMCA locations in Asheville, North Carolina have removed sodas and "unhealthy beverages" from their vending options. Read more about what CEO for YMCA, Paul Vest, has to say about this new direction.

At our Annual Meeting on June 6, we made good on our promise to celebrate those workplaces who met the highest bar for wellness excellence by recognizing you with a Gold Award. Workplaces that have an ‘A’ in any wellness topic are eligible for the highest level of recognition—the Gold Medal for Physical Activity, Gold Apple for Nutrition, and Gold Star for Tobacco. 

Nine award winners were recognized for their leadership in making North Carolina a healthier place to live, work and learn.

Congratulations to those workplaces who have met the highest bar for excellence, making the affordable and delicious default the HEALTHY choice!

YMCA of Greensboro won one of two Prevention Excellence awards for workplaces at the NCPP Annual Meeting on June 6. Read more about the incredible things they are doing to make their workplace one in which wellness is an easy norm. 

JPS won one of two Prevention Excellence awards for workplaces at the NCPP Annual Meeting on June 6. Read more about the incredible things they are doing to make their workplace one in which wellness is an easy norm. 

 

 

NC Prevention Partners welcomes (L-R) Emily Sigmon, Aubrey Delaney, and Allison Glasser to the Hospitals Team.

Guest blogger Stacey Burch highlights myHealth Rewards program offerings for employees at Palmetto Health, including a health management program, weight loss competitions, and cafeteria changes.

 

 

 

Eight representatives from the Virginia based hospital system toured Rex Healthcare's wellness facility and cafeteria.

 

Congratulations to Vidant Health System for earning the Gold Star in all its hospitals! Several Vidant Health System hospitals also received Gold Apple status.

Does the idea of changing your food and physical activity policies make your head spin?  Passing obesity prevention policies is not as hard as you think, but you want to make these changes thoughtfully. . . . 

Google has always led the nation with its innovative and creative ideas in business and technology, and now they are aiming to help make the workplace a healthier place with healthy eating initiatives.  WorkHealthy America recommends similar ideas and helps you create policies which will help sustain these initiatives. . . .

You’ve done tremendous work to change your policies, rework your food environment, add new benefits, but maybe you feel like your employees are not engaged in wellness. Sometimes the solution is simple. . . .

Guest blogger Lindsay Roper highlights how Laurens County Health Care System is working to maintain its Gold Star and Gold Apple awards, while continuing to reach to new goals.

 We know that offering employees the highest quality of preventive care leads to improved health. But how can you work effectively with your insurers to make sure you’re benefits package meets the real needs of your employees?

Every June, NC Prevention Partners celebrates another amazing year of prevention at our Annual Meeting, celebrating the organizations across the state who have put prevention first, whether they are schools, hospitals, state agencies or private businesses. This year we want to celebrate YOUR progress with our Trailblazer and Gold Awards for WorkHealthy America participants. 

  What a year of training we have for you!

 Thank you to the more than fifty hospitals in NC who have opted to renew their license to WorkHealthy America^SM! Starting in July, 2012, WorkHealthy America^SM will also map the progress of all subscribers, including state and local governments, schools, non-profits and private businesses.  Are you ready for the map? 

 

 

 

 

23 1/2 hours talks about how 30 minutes of exercise will improve health and reduce risk of disease.

We have mapped hospital progress for five years, showing where hospitals are in their efforts to get A’s in Tobacco or Nutrition. We recently updated and automated those maps, and are now beginning the same initiative with all businesses in WorkHealthy America. In July, 2012, we will launch these NEW WorkHealthy maps, and recognize your success and progress. 

NC Prevention Partners has new recognition maps for NC hospitals excelling in wellness programs.

 by Anne Thornhill

This is a time of year for looking back on the year past, celebrating our accomplishments, and planning for the year moving forward. And setting resolutions, of course 

 by Anne Thornhill

The holidays are a time when wellness takes a backseat to celebrations and decadence. 

 

 

 

 

CaroMont Health recognized by the North Carolina Alliance for Healthy Communities (NCAHC) with the 2011 Eagle Award.

While the UHS system already boasts eight Red Apples, they recently passed a policy that will support and sustain the transformation that the system hospitals have put in place over the past years. This extraordinary policy, in coordination with the environmental changes that UHS has been making over the past years, was recognized by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control as a best practice and highlighted in their “P2P” series.

 NC Prevention Partners has recognized the Laurens County Health Care System as the first hospital in South Carolina to

 

 meet its Gold Apple standard.

 We are planning for 2012 and we need your input-- what types of web-based trainings do you want? Share your thoughts!

 WorkHealthy subscriber JPS is recognized as one of 2011 Best Accounting Firms to Work for. Think it has anything to do with their stellar wellness environment?

 

  

On Tuesday, October 25th, NC Prevention Partners' Hospital Advisory Team met at the North Carolina Hospital Association in Cary. Administrators and staff from hospitals and other public health leaders gathered to hear about the recent successes of NC Prevention Partners.

 The assessment function of WorkHealthy America is the best way to get the most tailored and focused recommendations to help your organization promote the healthiest employees. 

All University Health System hospitals now have the Red Apple designation.

On Wednesday, September 21st, NC Prevention Partners staff traveled to Broughton Hospital in Morganton, to meet with CEO Thomas Mahle, and several wellness staff members.

 Healthy Food in Hospitals program receives Healthy Innovation Award from CDC.

Congratulations to the Newest Red Apple: Appalachian Regional Healthcare System!

NC Prevention Partners staff members met with the Director of Food and Nutrition this morning at the kick-off event at Carolinas Medical Center-Union.

Red Apple Awards were given to 15 North Carolina hospitals in Chapel Hill.

Several North Carolina Hospitals received awards Wednesday, June 8th at the Carolina Club in Chapel Hill from NC Prevention Partners.

We are celebrating the addition of four more Red Apple hospitals across North Carolina! Congratulations to these four hospitals for the hard work and commitment they put into providing delicious, affordable and healthy food on a daily basis for visitors and staff. Our newest Red Apple Awards go to Catawba Valley Hospital, Broughton Hospital, FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital, and Ashe Memorial Hospital. Keep reading to see how they did it!

 

Catawba Valley Hospital posts the weekly menu on the hospital intranet and identifies healthier foods using a red apple icon. Nutrition Information is available at the point of selection so that the customers can see calories, sodium, and fat content of various foods. Their wellness team plans to launch their new red apple status at an event in mid-June and promote several new healthy items in their cafeteria. “I am...