Posted on January 12, 2007 at 4:10 p.m.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Thanks in part to programs administered by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing, the City of Birmingham has been recognized as one of America's healthiest companies.
The Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) has awarded the City of Birmingham Working Well initiative its Gold Award for the initiative's rigorous health promotion standards and commitment to improving the health and well-being of its employees. The City of Birmingham will be presented with the award at its regular city council meeting Jan. 16. The UAB School of Nursing administers three of the programs within Working Well.
Gold Well Workplaces, according to WELCOA, are "companies that have successfully built comprehensive worksite wellness initiatives and are demonstrating and documenting concrete outcomes related to behavior change, cost effectiveness and return on investment."
"The Gold Award demonstrates that the UAB School of Nursing's programs for the City of Birmingham conform to rigorous, nationally recognized standards for wellness program quality and effectiveness, and establishes the school's place among an elite group of effective occupational health promotion programs," said UAB School of Nursing Professor Michael Weaver, Ph.D., principal investigator of the Good Health Program. "By its support for the program, the City of Birmingham is also established as a leader in its commitment and vision toward creating a culture of wellness within its workforce."
The City of Birmingham designed the 15-year-old Working Well initiative as an umbrella system that includes the UAB-administered Good Health Program, Medical Services Unit and Back School.
The city maintains the other programs within Working Well - the Health and Fitness Center, Fit√Check, Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Medical Benefits and Employee Assistance Program. Working Well's goals are improving employee health, reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, preventable injury and occupational injury and controlling health care costs.
The Good Health Program is a comprehensive health promotion and risk reduction program that serves the approximately 4,000 city employees. It provides annual health screens and innovative interventions to reduce health risks and promote healthy lifestyles.
The Medical Services Unit is an occupational health clinic dedicated to city employees and run by nurse practitioners from the UAB School of Nursing. Clinic personnel offer a variety of services, including physical exams and drug testing. Personnel also see on-the-job injuries and illnesses and provide referrals and case management. Immunization programs for selected at-risk groups of employees also are maintained.
Back School is an exercise and education program designed to reduce the risk of re-injury for employees who have experienced a back injury.
"The UAB School of Nursing and the City of Birmingham have both benefited from this long, successful partnership," said UAB School of Nursing Dean Doreen Harper, Ph.D. "We are proud of the award the initiative has received and hope our partnership continues long into the future."