U.S. Preventive Medicine and Washington Regional Medical Center Launch Broad Prevention Initiative for Northwest Arkansas

DALLAS and FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Preventive Medicine^® and Washington Regional Medical Center, together with Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic and Kids for Health, today introduced an initiative to deliver preventive health care services to northwest Arkansas.  This community-wide wellness initiative aims to save lives and money by keeping Arkansans healthy and treating chronic illnesses before they progress. 

Five diseases cause 70 percent of all U.S. deaths annually -- heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.  Arkansans suffer from chronic diseases at a rate higher than the national average.  Adopting healthy behaviors, like avoiding smoking, exercising, eating well and obtaining necessary health screenings, significantly lowers the risk for developing chronic disease.

Bill Bradley, President and CEO of Washington Regional, said, "While Washington Regional is best known for providing high quality medical treatments, keeping people healthy is just as important as treating disease.  By partnering with U.S. Preventive Medicine, Washington Regional can expand its community outreach and help the people of northwest Arkansas live longer, healthier lives."

The Prevention Plan^™, a preventive health care program provided by U.S. Preventive Medicine, will provide the basis for the preventive health care initiative. It represents an entirely new way of thinking, centered on preserving health rather than merely treating disease.  Based on the clinical science of preventive medicine, The Prevention Plan moves beyond simple wellness to identify an individual's top health risks and recommend specific actions to avert those risks; detect diseases in the earliest stages when treatments are more effective; and slow or reverse the progression of disease. 

The program will be offered to Washington Regional employees beginning today.  Washington Regional and the Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic will also begin offering the program to businesses throughout northwest Arkansas. Additionally, Kids for Health will partner with U.S. Preventive Medicine to offer The Prevention Plan for Kids^™ a specially-designed children's program focused on reducing childhood obesity, Type II diabetes, depression and heart disease.  The children's program is currently in development and scheduled for release later this year.

"Everyone -- from a small child to a large corporation and even an entire country -- can benefit from preventive health care," said Christopher Fey, chairman and CEO of U.S. Preventive Medicine. "Implementing preventive medicine nationwide would save our country $1.1 trillion annually by 2023 and reduce chronic disease cases by 40 million. By promoting preventive health care for individuals, families and businesses, Arkansas can lead the nation toward a culture of physical and fiscal health."

Video footage of the launch event, including the keynote address by Tommy Thompson, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is available at http://www.moregoodyears.com/the-prevention-plan-for-employers.htm.

About U.S. Preventive Medicine

U.S. Preventive Medicine^® (www.USPreventiveMedicine.com) is leading a global preventive health care movement focused on saving lives and money by keeping people healthy and better managing chronic conditions before they progress.  The company provides a suite of innovative wellness, chronic condition management, concierge, care advocacy, and executive health services—all based on the clinical science of preventive medicine.  The world's first preventive health benefit, The Prevention Plan^™ (www.moregoodyears.com) moves beyond traditional wellness to identify each individual's top health risks and design a customized action plan supported 24x7 by nurse coaches.  The company is one of the few accredited in wellness and health promotion by NCQA as well as disease management by URAC.

About Washington Regional

Washington Regional (www.wregional.com) is the only not-for-profit, community-owned and locally governed health care system in Northwest Arkansas. The system includes an acute care hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, assisted living and long-term care facilities, kidney dialysis centers, an outpatient surgery center and a network of clinics and services. Washington Regional is committed to improving the health of the people in Washington, Benton, Madison and Carroll counties by providing compassionate, high quality care, prevention and wellness education.

About Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic

Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic (www.aohconline.com) is the premier clinic for occupational health and medicine in northwest Arkansas.   With a national reputation AOHC has provided occupational health and wellness services to over 2,000 companies since 1996.  Utilizing specialists, board certified in occupational health and medicine, AOHC is continually advancing in education and care for the needs of companies and their employees.

About Kids for Health

Kids for Health (www.kidsforhealth.com) is a comprehensive and interactive kindergarten through sixth grade health education developer.  Since its inception in 1994, Kids for Health has provided elementary schools in Arkansas with relevant and age specific health education that is statistically proven to both increase health knowledge and positively change health behavior.  The current Kids for Health curriculum is on the Arkansas Department of Education's recommended list for health education.

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Christopher Fey  

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SOURCE U.S. Preventive Medicine