Mercy Medical Center recognized by Healthy Business Council of Ohio for healthy worksite practices

Monday, January 25, 2021

Tags: Mercy Medical Center , health care

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The Healthy Business Council of Ohio (HBCO) will recognize 100 Ohio employers for healthy worksite practices during the virtual In-Value-Able Virtual Conference Series on February 4. Among the recipients being honored is Mercy Medical Center.

The Healthy Worksite Award recognizes Ohio employers who demonstrate a commitment to employee wellness through comprehensive worksite health promotion and wellness programs. Applicants are scored on the extent their wellness programs facilitate and encourage employee health, enhance productivity and ensure a healthy work environment.

Mercy Medical Center Interim CEO Tom Strauss says the hospital’s wellness program focuses not only on physical health, but also mental, emotional and spiritual health. “Our wellness program does a wonderful job of fostering a culture of healthy living by offering a variety of creative programs including wellness challenges, an employee fitness center, health screenings, diabetes and weight management programs, tobacco cessation, nutritious cafeteria options and more,” Strauss said.

“We can all agree that 2020 was a beast of a year for employer sites so this year’s application was modified to recognize the extraordinary efforts employers were making to offer employee wellbeing in spite of it all,” explained the Healthy Worksite Award Co-Chair Annie Laurie Cadmus. “Applicants had the option to complete a ‘Pandemic Response’ section of the application to share how they adjusted their program offerings and continued to offer support to employees during a difficult year.”

Mercy Medical Center promoted a box breathing campaign to help support staff during the pandemic. Box breathing helps relieve anxiety, decrease blood pressure and increase lung function when done regularly. Mercy Medical Center will be spotlighted during the awards ceremony with a video on how to do box breathing demonstrated by Stephanie Wheeler, MS, CES, director of Employee Wellness at Mercy Medical Center.

The awards ceremony will be offered virtually as part of the Health Action Council’s 2021 Virtual Conference Series & Expo on February 4, 2021. The symposium features national experts on wellbeing, resilience and health reform. The public is invited to register for this event at the Health Action Council website.

Mercy Medical Center is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.