The American Heart Association recognized Springhill Medical Center as one of a few companies on the Alabama Gulf Coast to achieve Fit-Friendly status.
Designed to be a catalyst for positive change in American business, the Fit-Friendly Worksite Recognition Program recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees by creating physical activity programs within the workplace.
Springhill Medical CEO/President, Mr. Jeff St. Clair, said, "As the premier provider of cardiac care in Mobile we see all too often the devastating effects of heart and vascular disease. It is our goal and responsibility of us as an employer to educate our employees on what they can do to prevent disease and then give them all the tools possible to help them with that. Being a Fit Friendly Workplace gives our workforce one more of many opportunities to lead a heart healthy lifestyle."
The 2015 Winter Fit-Friendly worksites on the Alabama Gulf Coast currently are:
- Gold Award Status:
- UTC Aerospace Systems
- Meyer Vacation Rentals
- Springhill Medical Center
- Roberts Brothers, Inc.
Worksites may earn Fit-Friendly recognition by implementing physical activity practices such as providing walking routes, promoting walking programs, online newsletters, tracking tools to motivate employees, and allowing staff to wear athletic shoes in the workplace on designated “sneaker days”.
Studies suggest that implementing a worksite physical activity program and promoting a culture of activity will help companies increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, lower turnover and reduce healthcare costs. Currently, American employers face increasing healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity that cost an estimated $225.8 billion a year. Employers face $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The Fit-Friendly Worksite Recognition Program helps change corporate cultures by motivating employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.
The Fit-Friendly Worksite Program is helping to improve the health of Americans by focusing on an activity that is convenient, free and easy.
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke by funding cutting-edge research, conducting lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocating to protect public health.Original Article
