Three Companies Receive C. Everett Koop National Health Award for Efforts to Improve Employee Health and Reduce Costs

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the U.S. faces the problem of rapidly rising health care costs, coupled with an epidemic increase in obesity rates, forward thinking employers have instituted health promotion and disease prevention programs that simultaneously improve their workers' health and reduce spending.

"Some companies get to the heart of the problem with programs focused on avoiding sickness and accidents in the first place," said Chairman and Co-Founder of The Health Project Carson Beadle. "People who develop healthy behaviors have fewer chronic diseases, lower health care costs and are usually happier, more productive employees."

In recognition of organizations with health promotion and wellness programs that produce documented health improvements and cost savings, The Health Project announced the winners of the 2011 C. Everett Koop National Health Award. This year's winners are:

• Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX
• Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN
• Prudential Financial, Inc., Newark, NJ

The awards will be presented on September 14th at the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Forum in Phoenix, Arizona (see www.the-hero.org for details).

According to Dr. Jim Fries, Chief Science Officer for The Health Project and Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, "These winners have exemplary worksite health promotion programs that follow evidence-based guidelines, achieve high participation rates, and show significant reductions in health risks, as well as cost savings."

Alcon Laboratories has supported employee wellness since 1993. Beginning with healthy nutrition and fitness activities, Alcon's program has expanded to incorporate a broader set of initiatives, coupled with incentives. In 2010, Alcon's employees participated in an average of 31 unique wellness activities with 63 percent completing a health assessment and biometric screenings. Alcon's commitment to wellness has led to reductions in health risks and healthcare expenditures, as well as a positive return on investment (ROI).

Eastman Chemical Company supports a wide range of wellness opportunities for employees, with an emphasis on participation in health assessments, health coaching, and other health improvement programs. Over the past five years, 90 percent of employees have completed health assessments and the company has experienced a steady drop in health risks including high cholesterol, hypertension, and blood glucose levels. Eastman has seen a strong 3:1 ROI from its programming.

Prudential Financial has developed a well-integrated employee wellness program that offers discounts on healthy food in cafeterias, provides exercise opportunities at an onsite fitness center, and stocks vending machines with nutritious snacks. By creating a supportive environment and empowering individuals to demonstrate personal accountability, Prudential has helped its employees improve their health behaviors. From 2008 to 2010, 89 percent of a cohort population maintained a low-risk status and 74 percent of high-risk employees reduced their health risks.

"Every company in America should look at these examples of model programs that keep workers safe and healthy and at the same time save unnecessary spending for potentially preventable health conditions," said Dr. C. Everett Koop, the former U.S. Surgeon General and Honorary Chairperson of The Health Project.

The Health Project has been recognizing organizations with proven health improvement and cost savings programs since 1994. A panel of 16 health promotion and disease prevention experts selected the 2011 award recipients, who join the list of more than 50 winners that have received the Award since the organization was established, with Dr. Koop as its chairperson. The Health Project maintains a repository of information about these proven health promotion programs, so that employers and community agencies can draw on them for guidance on improving health outcomes throughout the country. More information about the C. Everett Koop National Health Award winners is available at http://www.TheHealthProject.com.

Dr. Ron Goetzel, President and CEO of The Health Project noted, "For the U.S. to continue to be an economic leader worldwide, supported by a healthy and productive workforce, more companies need to implement evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention programs. The good news is that when done right, these programs not only make workers healthier, they can also produce a positive return on investment."

The Health Project (THP) is a non-profit private-public consortium dedicated to bringing about critical attitudinal and behavioral changes in the American health care system, so that providers and consumers employ its vast resources with increasing knowledge and understanding. THP's mission is to seek out, evaluate, promote and distribute programs with demonstrated effectiveness in influencing personal health habits and the cost effective use of health care services. The C. Everett Koop National Health Awards are given each year to worksite, community or provider programs which have soundly documented improved health and decreased medical costs.

SOURCE The Health Project