Live Well/Work Well: Taking Care of Ourselves at Dartmouth-Hitchcock
"Of course Dartmouth-Hitchcock has a responsibility to build a healthy and safe work place, but this integrative program is also about each and every person's well being. How can we fully support people so that they can enjoy and do what they want to do, not just at work but in their personal lives as well?"
This is a tall order, but one McLellan and newly appointed Administrative Director, Karen Gollegly, MA, MBA, feel very optimistic about. Live Well/Work Well emerged from a long and robust planning process and has been supported and vetted through every level of leadership. Dartmouth-Hitchcock has long been recognized as providing a remarkably safe work environment. And, in 2007 the State of New Hampshire honored the organization with the New Hampshire Governor's Council on Physical Activity and Health Outstanding Achievement Award for Physical Activity and Health at the worksite. Now "Dartmouth-Hitchcock has made a commitment to raise the bar even farther. We know we have work to do to live up to this commitment but this has been a very inclusive process and the resources and support come together under Live Well/Work Well," McLellan says.
Creating a Culture of Health
"We're a health care organization, and it turns out that we're really no healthier than the rest of the nation," says McLellan. "We need to create a culture of health." He and Gollegly list the tactics and resources that are being brought to bear to create such a culture:
- A physical environment that is safe but also promotes activity
- A nutritional environment that supports a healthy diet
- Human resource policies and benefit design that promote well-being and support prevention and optimal disease management
- A social environment where communication is two-way and people are engaged
Live Well/Work Well pulls from a very broad group of individuals and departments who are working synergistically to make the "culture of health" a reality. And, Live Well/Work Well brings together a number of established programs, such as Occupational Medicine, the Health Improvement Program (HIP), Care Management and the Employee Assistance Program, and is adding new resources to promote employee health, safety, and well-being.
"We want it to be one-stop shopping," explains Gollegly. Live Well/Work Well is adding key staff, such as health coaches to help with smoking cessation, diet concerns, exercise, and other life style problems. Other staff will help people better cope with life problems, emotional health concerns. Another group of staff will help employees return to work after an illness or injury, or find the health care they need.
"We are not just adding staff, we are integrating services already available to employees. Whatever resources and assistance a person needs to achieve his or her desired health and well-being goals must be easily accessible. We recognize that the nature of work in some areas of our organization presents significant challenges to taking advantage of the Live Well/Work Well resources," Gollegly says. There are barriers aplenty in front of everybody, and Live Well/Work Well will work aggressively to remove barriers and be accessible to all, stresses McLellan.
Identifying (and Achieving) Your Personal Health Goals
This October the Health and Wellness Assessment (HWA), a 15-minute online health assessment, will be available to Dartmouth-Hitchcock staff. "We're tremendously excited about this," says McLellan. "It lets us know what resources and services people most need and desire. More importantly, it will give immediate feedback to people about where they are health-wise and what resources and supports are available to them." Additionally, biometrics screenings – height, weight and blood pressure, and blood tests for sugar and cholesterol – will be available to all staff this fall.
"The HWA and biometrics screenings are confidential and anonymous," adds Gollegly. "It's like the job satisfaction survey in this way. With the HWA, you'll get results right away and suggestions about on-line coaching modules, for example about exercising if you've identified this as a concern or a personal goal." If you choose, you can get a print- out of your results to take with you to your primary care provider. Another option embedded in the HWA is to give permission to be contacted by a health coach who will help you access the services and support you need to achieve your health goals."
Of concern and high priority, says McLellan, is to ensure that all employees at Dartmouth-Hitchcock have primary care providers. "We are working closely with our primary care leadership to make this possible."
McLellan and Gollegly are passionate about Live Well/Work Well. "The group of people interested and engaged in this is very broad, from senior leadership to physicians to individuals," says McLellan. "We don't have enough room in the room when we have meetings. It is exciting to see how far we've come at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in truly being able to offer employees resources to be able to enjoy and do what they want to do at home and at work. "
Gollegly adds that an internal communications campaign has begun featuring posters and articles in CenterView, featuring personal stories from employees who have made a commitment to live healthier using the slogan Be Healthy. Live Well. The most recent example of this communications campaign features Heidi and Dan Penn, who together lost 155 pounds. "I think stories like Heidi and Dan's really resonated with people because they shared what worked for them to reach their personal goals. The Live Well/Work Well program is committed to helping employees like Heidi and Dan achieve what is right for them."
For more information on the Live Well/Work Well program, call 650-5900 or e-mail: livewellworkwell@blitz.hitchcock.org.
