Getting healthy...for life

As Rhode Island’s largest health system and one of its largest employers, Lifespan knows all about keeping Rhode Islanders healthy, including its nearly 15,000 employees. They (and their families) keep healthy with Lifespan’s Working Healthy program.

“One of the keys to our program’s success is our existing culture of helping Rhode Islanders be well, which translates perfectly to our employees and their own goals,” says Sheila Jacobs, Lifespan’s wellness manager.

A rewarding program

One of the most successful efforts rewards employees for being active in their own care. Lifespan Care Rewards for Diabetes provides supplies like test strips and insulin at no cost, as well as $0 copays for prescriptions filled at Lifespan’s pharmacy. Participants who successfully complete their required lab testing also receive a $400 cash reward.

The program also pairs participants with a certified diabetes nurse educator, who helps them create an action plan to keep on track with regular tests and maintenance. A critical piece of the program is coordinating members’ care with their doctors so that everyone involved is on the same page and working toward the same goals.

Taking control for good

For Vinny Tripolone, spouse of Lifespan employee Janice Tripolone, the program has been life-changing. Vinny, who has Type 2 diabetes, was the program’s first participant when it began in late 2015. “I’ve had diabetes for 11 years, and this program has helped me finally take control of it for good,” he says.

Before the program, Vinny’s A1c and blood sugar numbers fluctuated quite a bit, and his discipline, especially with food, wasn’t great. “But with the regular, coordinated support from my nurse and my own doctor, I have done a much better job managing my diabetes. My A1c is under control, and I’ve lost 20 pounds,” he continues. The program also provides resources for other areas like nutrition, stress relief, smoking cessation, and medication management, if needed.

“One of our most successful programs”

The results across the program have been terrific too. More than 1,000 members were invited initially, and at the end of 2016, more than 400 were in the program. Now there are significantly fewer employees considered “high risk.” Sheila adds, “This has been one of the most successful disease management programs we’ve ever had, with significantly improved members’ health.”

From the couch to the course

In the past, Lifespan employee Lori Berry was not very active…in her words, she was sedentary. But now, thanks to the program’s “Couch to 5k” initiative, which provides motivation and training for employees to take up walking or running, she’s lost about 25 percent of her body weight and now competes in various 5k races with family, friends, and her “walking buddies” at work.

One of those “buddies” is Heather Barclay, who also joined to become more active and has lost significant weight too. Now, she and Lori can—and often do—walk a 5K on their lunch break. And both are part of the “Team Lifespan Walkers,” a group of employees that meets at least twice a week to train for 5k and other charity races.

“What intrigued me was that this program was literally for everyone…from people in top shape to those who didn’t move much…so I knew I could do it,” Lori says. Heather adds, “The company’s support—from providing tools and programs to motivate us, to paying registration fees for races—makes such a positive difference for all of us who are trying to get healthier.”

That support is demonstrated by Lisa Abbott, senior vice president of human resources and community affairs, who adds, “I am thrilled about the launch of our new Team Lifespan Walkers as an example of our investment in employee wellness. We’re excited to expand our well-being agenda in the coming months to guide our employees in achieving their wellness goals.”

Good health is good practice

As one of the northeast’s largest and oldest law firms, Hinckley Allen takes great pride in helping people. That idea starts “at home” with a wellness philosophy that stresses the importance of the overall well-being of its employees and their families.

“Our employees are our most important asset. Making sure they are as healthy as possible is critical to our success, and contributes to a happier work environment, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and many other benefits,” notes Megan McCormack, director of human resources. Employees are encouraged to make smarter choices in all aspects of their lives that lead to healthier and happier lifestyles.

The firm gets Lean

This holistic approach includes other areas besides physical health, like emotional, spiritual, financial, and especially nutrition. To help encourage healthy eating, a LeanBox healthy vending machine and Bevi beverage machine were added to the lunchroom at the Providence office a few months ago. Employees have been thrilled ever since, and love having the option to purchase fresh, organic, healthy, and delicious meals, snacks, and drinks at a low cost, as opposed to the typical unhealthy and expensive vending machine options like candy bars, chips, and soda.

Fresh fruit baskets are also provided to employees weekly. “If we make healthier options available right at work, we make it easier for employees to make those healthier choices, or at least to put it ‘top of mind,’” Megan continues.

Something for everyone

Other wellness programs and incentives offered include Weight Watchers®, which the company has supported for several years. “I feel very fortunate to have the support our leadership gives us,” says Joanne Mansolf, who runs this employee program for the Providence office.

Hinckley Allen’s support of employee wellness also includes a $100 reimbursement for a gym membership or fitness equipment, something that Joe Freitas recently took advantage of. “I put the $100 toward restoring my bike, which I now ride in to work every day…I’m very thankful for that benefit!” Programs and benefits like on-site biometric screenings, lunch seminars on various topics, and chair massages round out the program.

A focus on prevention: Putting people first

Hinckley Allen puts a major emphasis on making sure employees and their families get regular, preventive care to stay healthy. One way they do this is by offering a 10 percent premium reduction for having an annual wellness visit, being tobacco-free, and taking an online health assessment.

For Chief Information Officer John Guyer, the importance of preventive care could not be any clearer than it is now. In June 2016, John’s wife Jamie was diagnosed with stage 1 DCIS, a form of breast cancer, after a routine mammogram revealed an abnormal growth. After surgery to remove the cancer, doctors discovered it was extremely aggressive. Chemotherapy followed, as well as regular hormone maintenance infusions, which will continue until September 2017. Jamie had successful reconstructive surgery in May 2017, and is looking forward to moving forward with her treatment plan and an improved quality of life.

“We’ve experienced first-hand the value of good benefits, from a company that really cares about its employees and their families,” John says. He and Jamie have seven children, including four with special needs. “With everything else we’ve got going on to take care of our family, sometimes we put our own health and well-being last. Had my employer not put such an emphasis on the importance of getting regular care and tests, and had we not found Jamie’s cancer when we did, her outlook would not have looked as good as it does today.”

Driven to be healthier

The three Paul Masse automobile dealerships in Rhode Island—Chevrolet in East Providence and Wakefield, and Buick and GMC in South Kingstown—call themselves “A Rhode Island family of dealerships” and have a proud 26-year history here. The word “family” is an appropriate depiction of how they view their employees.

Feeling “in tune”

With roughly 115 total employees at the three dealerships, Paul Masse is one of the largest dealer groups in Rhode Island. Over the last four years, they’ve built a wellness program that gives employees the tools they need to stay in good condition, much like the cars their service departments work on every day.

Overseeing the program is Michelle Masse, human resources manager. Last year, Michelle’s dad Paul, the company’s namesake and leader, created the “F.i.t. (Feeling in tune) for Life” campaign, a program aimed at helping employees get and stay healthy in four key areas: smoking cessation, weight loss, body mass index, and cholesterol. “Healthier employees are happier employees, and my dad is always trying to find ways to make it easier for them to feel good and better their lives,” Michelle says.

These quitters are winners

The F.i.t. program combined a fun, healthy employee competition with financial incentives for reaching goals in each area. It was a great success, particularly smoking cessation. “We decided to focus on helping smokers quit,” Michelle notes, “and we made the program optional, understanding how difficult it is and that they needed to be ready to do it. The response and the results were terrific.” As an added incentive, participants received a financial reward for successfully completing the program and quitting.

“I had nothing to lose,” says Terri Venezia, one of the successful “quitters.” She smoked for almost 30 years, but hasn’t had a cigarette since early 2016 and feels great. “I tried, unsuccessfully, to quit on my own many times, but I just wasn’t ready to do it,” she adds. “Having the support of the Masse family has been wonderful…they have truly changed my life.” Another success story was Gino Bruzzese, a 25-year smoker. “Quitting is definitely not easy, but doing it in a group environment and management’s support helped me be successful,” he says.

Another healthy benefit

Terri and Gino, like many other Paul Masse employees, also started going to the company’s on-site fitness center in East Providence (Wakefield also has one), even before the smoking cessation program started. The company also provides reimbursement for employees who want to join another gym. Together with dozens of other Paul Masse employees, both have also lost weight, motivated by the F.i.t program’s weight loss component.

“So many of our employees have taken positive steps to improve their health, and they’re doing it together,” Michelle adds. “They’re also making this a healthier place to work, and we couldn’t be happier for their success.”