Press Release - July 27, 2006

                        

                           

                              
                           

                           

                              
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            
July 27, 2006           
Media Contact:
Tim Rosales - 916-475-4900    
MJ Fingland - 202-835-3460            
 
Fresno County Employers Sign Up To Improve Employee Health and Battle Chronic Disease

FRESNO, CALIF. (July 27, 2006) – A group of leading local employers today announced they are joining a new initiative to improve the health of their employees both in and outside of the workplace. The workplace health initiative is part of the HealthyFresno program – a community-wide health, wellness, and disease prevention program launched two months ago by America’s pharmaceutical companies and local health care partners at the Ted C. Wills Community Center. 
       
HealthyFresno is dedicated to helping lower the burden of chronic disease in Fresno County.  The new collaboration of top Fresno employers will focus on the biggest preventable health problems facing employees, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, and will help employers and employees take steps to combat these problems.  

“Preventable chronic disease is a big concern in the business community because businesses cannot be healthy without healthy workers,” said Deb Nankivell, executive director of the Fresno Business Council. “HealthyFresno’s employer outreach initiative gives us the tools and resources to address the problem head on, so that we can help Fresnans lead healthier lives in and outside of the workplace.”  

A recent study found that in Fresno County – where thousands suffer from preventable chronic conditions – the community spends approximately $2 billion dollars every year on chronic diseases.¹ A significant part of this cost is due to the losses employers experience from absenteeism and reduced productivity resulting from employees’ chronic health problems.

Through its new employer outreach initiative, HealthyFresno is asking employers to commit to making improvements in their workplace policies related to fitness, nutrition, and overall health to make it easier for employees to make healthier decisions and prevent disease.  

To assist employers and employees reach these workplace wellness goals, HealthyFresno will:
  • Help educate employees about effective chronic disease prevention and management strategies;
  • Provide employers with information about how to enhance wellness in their organization; and
  • Offer guidance on how to incentivize employees to enhance their personal health and wellness on and off the job.  

Additionally, employers will be able to direct employees to HealthyFresno’s online tools, including the personalized health assessment and diet and fitness trackers available at www.HealthyFresno.org and español.HealthyFresno.org. 

“HealthyFresno’s employer outreach program has the potential to significantly improve the health and lives of employees and their families and the community as a whole,” said Sharon Brigner, a registered nurse from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the organization representing America’s pharmaceutical companies.  “We hope that local employers will join HealthyFresno’s effort to help lower absenteeism and increase productivity among their employees.”

Much of businesses’ health care spending is devoted to dealing with employees’ illness after it happens. More than 95% of the nation’s health expenditures – including most of the billions of dollars employers spend on health coverage – is committed to diagnosing and treating disease only after it becomes apparent.²

“Every workplace can benefit from this chronic disease prevention program,” said Luisa Medina, president of the Fresno United School District Board of Education. “As the largest employer in the region, Fresno Unified is thrilled to be a part of HealthyFresno’s worker wellness initiative. We look forward to a healthier and more productive workplace.”

Employers interested in joining the effort can learn more by contacting Tim Rosales at 916-475-4900.

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¹ The Burden of Chronic Disease in Fresno was prepared for America’s Pharmaceutical Companies. For a copy of the full report, visit www.HealthyFresno.org.
² The Partnership for Prevention.