March 6, 2006

Penobscot Valley Hospital has been honored by a national organization for promoting healthy living among employees. PVH has received a Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA).

The Bangor Region Wellness Council submitted 10 applications to WELCOA in December 2006. All 10 business and organizations were successfully approved as members. Five of the entities were invited to join WELCOA as “gold” members—Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln, Northeastern Log Homes, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine in Augusta, and the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center.

The gold membership in WELCOA recognizes those companies that have successfully built comprehensive worksite wellness initiatives and are demonstrating real outcomes related to behavior changes, cutting costs, and getting a better return on investment.

“Being invited to join WELCOA at the gold level is a great honor,” says PVH spokesperson Allison Bankston. “It shows the hospital employees that the commitment we’ve shown to improving the overall health of the staff is being noticed and making a difference.”

Penobscot Valley Hospital has a number of ongoing health-promoting initiatives, including a program to help people quit smoking and a policy that requires healthy snacks at every meeting. PVH is in the midst of a wellness program called “Hike Your Way to Health”, through which teams of employees compete for prizes that promote physical fitness. The teams of 3 to 6 people try to boost their level of activity from March 1 to May 31, and the team with the highest average amount of exercise for the two months wins. “It’s a chance to encourage each other to be more physically active”, says Jessica Fogg of the Wellness Committee. “And even though there are prizes available, all the participants are winners for taking steps to improve their own health.”

Of the other groups asked to join WELCOA based on the recent applications, the following businesses are joining in the “small business” category: Maine Network for Health, Acadia Benefits, Inc. the Maine Network for Health, and Berry, Dunn, McNeil, & Parker.