Recent efforts result in Eskenazi Health becoming one of Indiana’s healthiest workplaces

Indianapolis, Oct. 18, 2017 – A concerted effort in recent years has resulted in Eskenazi Health earning the Wellness Council of Indiana 5 Star AchieveWELL award, the organization’s highest level of recognition.

The award distinguishes Eskenazi Health as one of the healthiest workplaces in Indiana, which offers significant competitive advantages in recruiting and retaining employees, better health outcomes, lower absenteeism and higher productivity.

“Our mission at Eskenazi Health remains the overall health of our community,” said Dr. Lisa Harris, chief executive officer at Eskenazi Health. “Foundational to delivering on that mission is our focus, first, on the health and vitality of our workforce.”

AchieveWELL is an assessment and evaluation of workplace wellness to determine organizations deemed best in class for programming and organizational health. The effort is managed by the Wellness Council of Indiana, and designated companies were celebrated at the 2017 Indiana Health and Wellness Summit, Oct. 3-4, in Indianapolis.  

Over the past five years, Eskenazi Health has experienced an evolution in its wellness program for the betterment of staff, patients and the health and vitality of the community at large. From the beginning of that effort, the goal has been to incorporate attitudes and activities that prevent disease, improve health, enhance quality of life and bring individuals to increasingly optimum levels of well-being. These efforts have contributed greatly to Eskenazi Health being named in 2016 and again in 2017, one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s 150 Greatest Places to Work in Healthcare.

Programs include:

Fitness: The Eskenazi Health Wellness Center offers a wide variety of fitness and exercise equipment, live fitness classes and a virtual and interactive fitness theatre. The center is open to staff 24-7/365 and is free of charge.

Nutrition: The Eskenazi Health Wellness Team works with Eskenazi Health Food & Nutrition Services personnel to create menus, catering, education and additional initiatives that promote healthful food choices for patients, visitors and staff. The Sky Farm at Eskenazi Health on top of the Eskenazi Health Outpatient Care Center is a 5,000 square-foot outdoor garden that last year produced 3,700 pounds of produce that’s served to patients and sold to visitors and staff. In February 2016, Eskenazi Health was named one of the top 12 hospitals in the country with the healthiest food options to prevent and possibly reverse chronic disease by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Lifestyle & Wellness Coaching (Healthy Me Program): Eskenazi Health Healthy Me is a wellness program that focuses on lifestyle management by supporting employees and patients of all ages to improve their overall health and well-being. Health coaches provide education, encouragement and accountability to encourage healthy choices. The program features motivational interviewing, group meetings, exercise classes, non-medical nutritional advice, weight loss, hands-on food classes, goal setting, stress management, smoking cessation, cardiovascular disease training and more.

 For nearly 160 years, Eskenazi Health has provided high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered health care to the residents of Marion County and Central Indiana. Accredited by The Joint Commission, nationally recognized programs include a Level I trauma center, regional burn center, comprehensive senior care program, women’s and children’s services, teen and adolescent care programs, Eskenazi Health Midtown Community Mental Health, and a network of primary care sites located throughout the neighborhoods of Indianapolis known as Eskenazi Health Center. In partnership with the Regenstrief Institute, Eskenazi Health conducts groundbreaking work that informs health information technology around the globe. Eskenazi Health also serves as the sponsoring hospital for Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services. As the public hospital division of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), Eskenazi Health partners with the Indiana University School of Medicine whose physicians provide a comprehensive range of primary and specialty care services. In December 2013, Eskenazi Health moved to its new main campus and opened the brand new Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital. The new modern and efficient facility is Central Indiana’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold health care campus and offers unique features like a one-of-a-kind sky farm and extensive art collection. The Eskenazi Health Foundation was the recipient of $40 million gift from Indianapolis couple Sidney and Lois Eskenazi to assist with building the brand new hospital facilities. HHC recognized this generous gift by naming the new hospital and health system in the Eskenazis’ honor.

CONTACT: Tom Surber
Phone: 317.880.4793
Cell: 317.402.9327
Pager: 317.310.6589
Email: thomas.surber@eskenazihealth.edu