Meadville, PA – Meadville Medical Center (MMC) again has been named
one of the “Healthiest Companies in America” by Interactive
Health, whose workplace wellness program helps businesses invest in the
health of their employees.
MMC is one of 151 companies across the country recognized this year for
empowering employees to make significant and sometimes life-saving changes
to improve their health. This is the SEVENTH year, in a row, MMC has won
the award.
To win the recognition, companies must have reached or exceeded a 70 percent
participation rate in their organization’s wellness program, and
their workforce’s overall health risk was low, based on the results
of an annual health evaluation.
Meadville Medical Center has two interrelated goals for our wellness program:
Take care of employees and manage health care costs. By encouraging employees
to prioritize their health, the self-insured employer has been able to
reduce its insurance costs by millions. In fact, MMC saw -2.2% per member/per
month trend from 2015 – 2017. Our participants (voluntary) spent
28 percent less on health care than non-participants in 2017. Participants
used preventive care over 25 percent more than non-participants (as a
percentage of total spend), which led to more efficient utilization of
care. Among participants in the wellness program, those at high health
risk cost the organization 75 percent more than those at low risk.
“We are thrilled to receive this award for the seventh year in a
row,” noted Greg Maras, Vice President of Human Resources. “Our
participants (employees and spouses) are doing a fantastic job in creating
and maintaining healthy lifestyles. Our results say it all. Additionally,
we are having a huge impact on the bottom line. Our wellness program is
doing its part in keeping costs down, estimating that for every $1 spent
on the program, the organization saves $3.60 in avoidable healthcare costs.”
Meadville Medical Center promotes and engages its workforce through a variety
of ways. There are monthly newsletters that focus on healthy lifestyles
and tips on diet, exercise, emotional well-being, and overall wellness.
MMC has fitness centers within the hospital for its employees and offers
discounts to the Meadville YMCA and the Meadville Area Rec Complex. MMC
partners with its employee assistance program, Lytle EAP, to offer programs
and webinars for wellbeing of all types. Throughout the year MMC will
also sponsor events or contests where staff are engaged in activities
that promote wellness.
“The best employers, like MMC figure out a way to differentiate themselves
and show employees that they care,” said Interactive Health President
and CEO Bill Goldberg. “Investing in the health of your employees
not only achieves that, but has far-reaching implications across the organization.
A healthier workforce is one that is happier, more engaged and more productive.”
Participants in MMC’s Interactive Health program have gained access
to year-round personalized digital tools, coaching, wellness challenges,
and fresh information about their health through an annual evaluation.
This evaluation provides valuable information that empowers participants
to adopt new habits. This process is what contributed MMC to being named
among the country’s healthiest companies.
For more information on Healthiest Companies in America, visit
https://www.interactivehealthinc.com/it-works/health-companies/.