Businesses aim to trim workforce waistlines
Local CEOS sought to lead Culture of Health initiatives
Fueled by a $100,000 grant, the Memphis Business Group on Health is redoubling its efforts to get the attention of the area’s top executives to launch health initiatives for employees.
“We are going to the CEOs to get their commitment because the evidence shows that with CEO commitment, it really can become part of the culture,” said Cristie Upshaw Travis, chief ex- ecutive officer of the Memphis Business Group on Health, a coalition of major employers focused on managing the cost and quality of health benefits.
The health group calls its latest effort the CEO Culture of Health initiative. Its members said Tuesday they want to see greater participation among local corporations. The numbers argue for creating a healthy workplace, Travis said.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies find that medical costs drop by about $3.27 and the costs of absenteeism by about $2.73 for each dollar spent on wellness, Travis said.
As chairman of First Horizon National Corp., Bryan Jordan said Tuesday that the Memphisbased financial services company has focused on employee wellness for several years. CEOs who haven’t led their organiza- tions in that direction may just not have heard the message.
Travis said the CEO Culture of Health initiative asks CEOs to do two things: Choose among four national programs to serve as a “road map,” and carry out at least one policy of the Million Calorie Reduction Match organized by Healthy Memphis Common Table, such as adding healthful snacks to vending machines.
The four national health-ori- ented programs are the American Heart Association’s FitFriendly Company, CEO Cancer Gold Standard, National Business Group on Health’s Best Employers for Healthy Living and Wellness Councils of America Well Workplace Awards.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is a health insurer that has focused on wellness programs for its 5,200 employees for eight years and offers “Wellness University” seminars to spread
the concept, said Ryan Picarella, the insurer’s manager of corporate wellness in Chattanooga.
For example, an employee who found that he had to buy two seats to board an airplane flight lost a substantial amount of weight with the firm’s Genesis program, a 10week social support group that includes a psychologist, dietitian and field trips on how to shop at grocery stores, Picarella said. For another example, Blue Cross Blue Shield partners with the YMCA to provide an aquatics program. Em- ployees are paid $200 to complete programs.
“We’ve been really fortunate, the former and current CEOs have been big champions for wellness,” Picarella said. Originally launched last November, and triggered by Memphis Fast Forward’s Healthy Shelby Initiative, CEO Culture of Health has attracted 30 “early adopters.” About three-quarters of them are hospital related, including Baptist Memorial Health Care, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and ALSAC, The Regional Medical Center at Memphis and the Church Health Center.
The mayors of Mem- phis, Shelby County and Germantown have signed on, as well as top leaders at the University of Memphis and Southwest Tennessee Community College. First Horizon, Medtronic and the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz are from the private sector.
Travis said the $100,000 grant, awarded in May through the National Business Coalition on Health and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and United Health Foundation, will allow the Memphis Business Group on Health to expand the ranks of CEOs, provide a tool kit, advice and some assistance.