Focus on employees helps patient care

Many employers have wellness committees tasked with finding ways for employees to get healthier, but Providence-based health care system Lifespan has an entire department dedicated to it.

Working Healthy’s four staffers endeavor to improve the health status of employees by supporting their goals related to exercise, nutrition, weight management, stress management and tobacco cessation. Working Healthy launched a decade ago with one employee – health promotion manager Sheila Jacobs – and has expanded since.

“Our whole focus is about the health of our patients, and we’ve realized it’s very important to focus on our employees too,” said Dr. Dana Sparhawk, director of health benefits and employee and occupational health services. “Healthy employees are certainly going to work better with our patients and provide better care.”

Working Healthy offers nearly 20 weekly fitness classes, private nutritional sessions and programs such as Couch to My First 5K. n

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Number of Employees: 8,944

CEO (or equivalent): Dr. Timothy J. Babineau, president and CEO

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