UHealth and the American Heart Association Join Forces to Improve Workplace Health

UHealth – the University of Miami Health System and the American Heart Association (AHA) of South Florida are collaborating to build a healthier work culture in Miami-Dade County. As part of the Workplace Health Solutions Initiative, UHealth and the AHA will provide welcome kits to corporations participating in the program. The goal is to provide employers with solutions for adopting a common set of programs and best practices to improve the quality of workplace health, and engage people where they spend most of their day — at work.

The welcome kits will provide informational materials and “tools” built around employee wellness, program implementation, and quality improvement for workplace health. Employers will receive access to resources, guidance on ways to assess and create a culture of health, and company-specific data insights based on health analytics.

As a catalyst and partner in building healthier workplaces, the AHA offers a suite of science and evidence-informed literature, tools and services. Abundant scientific evidence supports that moving toward ideal heart health improves overall health, productivity, quality of life and longevity, and reduces health care costs.

The initiative is a list of best practices and strategies for employers to make improvements to their workplace health programs and objectively track progress in the heart health of their employees using the AHA’s “Life’s Simple 7” directives:

• Stop Smoking
• Get Active
• Control Your Cholesterol
• Manage Blood Pressure
• Eat Healthy
• Lose Weight
• Reduce Blood Sugar

Research shows that people who maintain optimal levels for three to four of those measures cut their risk of heart-related death by more than 50 percent.

“The University of Miami Health System is proud to join with the American Heart Association for the Workplace Health Solutions Initiative,” said Jeffrey J. Goldberger, M.D., M.B.A., chief of the Cardiovascular Division. “This focused effort confirms our ongoing commitment and dedication to education and the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

“Together we can all benefit from this valuable collaboration. It will give us a regional opportunity to provide the knowledge and treatment to keep the employees in the community healthy.”

Tags: American Heart Association, Life's Simple 7, Workplace Health Solutions Initiative