Employees and associates of Hancock Regional Hospital work toward improving the health of the community every day. It makes sense, then, that HRH has a program dedicated solely to bettering their own health as well as the health of their families. Enter Healthy U, an initiative of Hancock Regional centered on guiding associates to make better personal choices to prevent disease.
Sick Americans
The CDC calls chronic disease the “public health challenge of the 21st century.” With rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stress, fatigue, mental illness and other chronic problems on the rise, it’s no wonder our country spends more on healthcare today than any other nation. In fact, our healthcare expenditure averages $7,000 per person per year, about double that of 29 other developed countries. Half of American adults suffer from a chronic illness, and such illnesses result in nearly seven out of every 10 deaths in the United States.
Hancock Health’s steps to help employees
Hancock Regional Hospital began Healthy U as a means to counteract these statistics in its own employees. By using annual biometric screening, this program enables the detection and prevention of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and more. As needs are determined, associates are pointed in the right direction for their own personal health, including diabetes education, stress management, financial guidance, lifestyle medicine, physicians’ referrals and exercise, to name a few. Numerous weight loss programs and apps are also available to assist in making healthier choices in everyday life.
At a time when chronic diseases are skyrocketing, preventative medicine is extremely important. Organizations like Hancock Regional, who works to create a healthy mindset for its employees, are vital in giving people access to information about their own health and what they can do to feel their best. After all, when hospital healthcare workers feel better about their own health, they offer an even better quality of care to their patients.
Resources
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/2009-power-of-prevention.pdf
EN 
ES 
DE 
FR 
ZH 
JA