Corrections or additions?
This article by Kathleen McGinn Spring was prepared for the October 23, 2002 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
How to Keep Employees Healthy
Good health is everyone’s business. St. Francis Medical
Center in Trenton is on a mission to get that message out to businesses.
With the need for top productivity at an all-time high, every employer
wants an alert, energetic workforce bursting with health. There are
ways to make this happen, and St. Francis stands ready to roll out
a road map.
On Thursday, October 24, at 11:30 a.m. St Francis holds its second
Health/Business Connection luncheon at the Trenton Marriott. Jo
Ann Chalal, medical director of radiation oncology at the Fox Chase
Cancer Center at St. Francis, is the featured speaker. There is no
charge for the event, which includes a networking session and a buffet
lunch in addition to Chalal’s talk. Register by calling 609-599-5659.
The idea for the Health/Business Connection came from cardiac surgeon
Glenn Laub, director of St. Francis’ Heart Center. He had addressed
the Mercer Chamber of Commerce and says he was “shocked at how
interested they were in the nitty gritty of heart surgery, and in
what we are doing here.” The hospital itself is a big business, but
Laub says its staff has little opportunity to interact with other
area businesses. “We’re always here working in the hospital,”
the busy surgeon explains. The Health/Business Connection is an attempt
to bring St. Francis into the business loop, and to let companies
know how important they are in promoting their employees’ good health.
The first luncheon, at which Laub spoke, was on heart health. The
topic this time is cancer. The hospital has joined forces with the
Fox Chase Cancer Center, offering close-to-home cancer treatment to
central Jersey residents. In June, it opens the Robert J. Moonan Radiation
Center, which will include a $1.7 million IMRT (Intensity Modulated
Radiation Therapy) linear accelerator.
While the hospital is ramping up its capability to treat cancer patients,
prevention is always the best option, and Judy Persichilli,
St. Francis’ CEO, talks about the vital role employers play in keeping
their workers healthy.
Provide good insurance. Insurance with generous provisionsfor preventative screenings is one of the best personnel investmentsan employer can make. Allowing time off so that workers can make itto the screenings is important too.Serve salad — and low fat dressing . So many employeesremain on-site for lunch at corporate campuses. Get high-fat, high-sodiumitems off the menu, and substitute lean protein dishes, salad, andother heart-healthy choices.Host screenings . A number of organizations, St. Francisamong them, will set up on-site screenings for blood pressure andother silent, but deadly, health threats.Provide space for exercise . If there is room, an on-sitegym is a good idea, providing busy workers with a convenient way tokeep fit. If not, companies might consider doing as St. Francis does,and offering employees discounts at nearby gyms. Group walks and sportsteams are other options.Hold down the stress . Employees who understand their jobs,have control over their tasks, and work in a culture of respect areless likely to suffer from stress, a condition that is implicatednot only in heart disease but also in cancer as well as everythingfrom anxiety attacks to diabetes.Deploy smoke alarms . Persichilli says she can not stressstrongly enough that smokers need to find a way to quit. Employerswho hold smoking cessation programs can help.So get those nicotine-bound employees out of doorways, shopfor insurance that covers screenings, put in a basketball net in theparking lot, and stop yelling at your secretary.Need more advice? Drop in at the Health/Business Connection. A warning,though. Word is that the Trenton Marriott’s desserts are outstanding.Previous StoryNext StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
