Press Release

Manasquan, N.J., USA, January 10, 2006 –Though personal wellness and incentive programs are sufficient motivation for many employees to improve their health, some still do not strive to better themselves. However, employers are finding that when push comes to shove, even the greatest resistors will strive to be better than others when they have a team cheering them on.

Capitalizing on an American appreciation for rivalry, employers are firing up the competition. “Healthy Competition in the Workplace: Taking the Team Approach to Wellness,” a November 15, 2005 audio conference on CD-ROM sponsored by the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN), explains how workplace wellness programs are using competition between employees and departments to drive wellness program participation and results. During this 90-minute audio conference on CD-ROM, expert panelists describe the team approach to wellness, from achieving initial buy-in to developing program structure and maximizing results. For more information, please visit the HIN bookstore.

“Wellness team competition approaches build healthy spirit that fosters long-term compliance,” said David Chenoweth, president, Chenoweth & Associates, Inc., who spoke at the conference. “Rather than opt for a day here or a week there, employees take on a more long-term commitment that translates to better health status now and in the future. It's a positive feedback loop.”

A friendly competition and team building endeavor, these approaches support employee involvement and empowerment and foster camaraderie for a more cohesive organization. Behavior modification can be difficult, and people are more prone to make healthy lifestyle changes when they have the support of their partners, friends and colleagues. Holding company-wide contests and competitions makes the drudgery of change more exciting.

“The team approach is an alternative to conventional programming where we only saw about 15 percent to 20 percent participation,” said Chenoweth. “Over the last few years, we've found that one of the best ways to build participation is to get people involved in team competitions. These programs can double or even triple participation.”

Chenoweth was joined at the conference by Margaret Frucci, human resource manager, Ocean Medical Center, part of Meridian Health System and Aaron Hardy, wellness coordinator, Washoe County School District. These speakers describe how healthy competitions can promote participation in wellness programs and improve long-term outcomes. They provide details on:

• Selling the team competition approach to management;
• Getting departments to buy into the team competition;
• Structuring the competition program; and
• Analyzing the results of team competition programs.

“The incentive builds camaraderie which builds greater long-term participation, which builds healthier outcomes and ultimately, fosters better employee and employer relationships,” said Chenoweth. “These alone are strong reasons to engage in long-term wellness efforts as opposed to partaking in healthy activities on a rainy day.”

This 90-minute audio conference on CD-ROM benefits a slew of healthcare professionals, including CEOs, medical directors, wellness professionals, human resources executives, disease management directors, managers and coordinators, health plan executives, care management nurses, wellness educators, health coordinators, risk managers, fitness center managers, health promotion directors, wellness coordinators, health educators, staff educators, employee assistance professionals, plant managers, exercise specialists, employee health services managers, employee health nurse managers, occupational health directors, health systems administrators, disability managers, corporate fitness managers, managed care executives, nurse managers, employee relations administrators and consultants, and business development and strategic planning directors.

Also included are detailed outlines of the panelists’ presentations, a printed transcript and a live question-and-answer session on the CD-ROM in which panelists open the floor for discussion. For more details on related products and upcoming audio conferences, visit the HIN bookstore.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network -- HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ, USA, 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info@hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.

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