Ohio Department of Health Honors Employers For Healthy Practices

December 29, 2015

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Healthy Ohio Business Council (HOBC) will recognize 68 Ohio employers for healthy worksite practices during the 12th annual Healthy Ohio Healthy Worksite Awards ceremony.

These awards recognize 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.

“Poor nutrition, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol and drug use limit our potential to be productive Ohioans. This is why a comprehensive approach to preventive health and wellness at worksites is an essential part of improving both the health of Ohioans and the overall success of our state,” said Dr. Mary DiOrio, Medical Director at ODH. “Healthy Ohio Healthy Worksite Award winners are leading the way in this effort by creating healthy work environments for their employees.”

“Employee health and wellness efforts result in major benefits for both employer and employee,” Helene Szczerba, chair of HOBC said. “Positive returns on investment are realized for the employee who improves his or her health and the employer who realizes reductions in healthcare costs and an overall increase in productivity and job satisfaction.”

All worksites, large and small, public and private, for profit and nonprofit, are encouraged to apply for the Healthy Ohio Healthy Worksite Award. All applications are reviewed and evaluated by members of HOBC. The three levels of achievement are awarded in Gold, Silver or Bronze. All other applicants who meet basic criteria receive a Recognition award. Increasing the number of worksites receiving awards is an objective in Ohio’s Plan to Prevent and Reduce Chronic Disease: 2014-2018, an objective being led by HOBC.

The ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. on January 20, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio as part of the Health Action Council 2016 Annual Conference. The conference features national experts on health reform, health care systems and health benefits. The awards are sponsored by Provant, a leader in population health management strategies and customized worksite wellness services that support employee well-being and productivity and healthcare cost containment.

The 2015 Healthy Ohio Healthy Worksite Award recipients are:

Small Business, ≤ 300 employees; Medium Business,  301-1000 employees; Large Business, 1001+employees

Small Business:  (19 awards)
Gold Award: Henry County Hospital, The Dupps Company, Certified Angus Beef and Tri-Rivers Career Center
Silver Award: LifeCare Alliance; Technical Consumer Products, City of Montgomery, HORAN, Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc., Sika Corporation; Atlantic Tool and Die Company, United Way of Central Ohio, RW Beckett Corporation, Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC, and Kings Daughter Medical Center Ohio
Bronze Award: Community Action Committee of Pike County, Hartzell Propeller, Inc.; Ohio WillowWood, and Excellas, LLC

Medium Business: (23 awards)
Gold Award: Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers; Colgate- Palmolive, IGS Energy, MillerCoors; Fulton County Health Center, Greater Dayton RTA, Western Reserve Hospital
Silver Award: Pickaway County Commissioners, Automated Packaging Systems, Welltower Inc., Methodist ElderCare Services, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, City of Dublin, Equity Trust Company,  North Star BlueScope Steel, LLC, Magma TEAM Systems, City of Kettering, MS Consultants
Bronze Award: Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, Brickler and Eckler, Molina Healthcare, City of Westerville

Large Business: (26 awards)
Gold Award: Mount Carmel Health System; Mercy Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, America Showa, Inc., The Ohio State University, Union Hospital Dover, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Youngstown State University, Lake Health, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Tri-Health, The Westfield Group
Silver Award: Lucas County Board of Commissioners, Montgomery County, Premier Health, The MetroHealth System, Total Quality Logistics, Genesis HealthCare System, American Greetings, Signet Jewelers, Dayton Children’s Hospital, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Bronze Award: Alliance Data Card Services, Huntington National Bank, Case Western Reserve University, University of Cincinnati

For more information and to register for the Health Action Council 2016 Annual Conference in Columbus, visit www.hacannualconference.org.

For more information on the Healthy Ohio Healthy Worksite Award program, visit: http://www.healthy.ohio.gov/businesses/howkawd.aspx


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About Nationwide Children's Hospital

Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.