Vermont Business Magazine For the seventh consecutive year, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) has received an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award from the Governor's Council of Physical Fitness & Sports and the Vermont Department of Health. The Governor's Council is a physical activity promotion and advocacy group comprised of approximately 20 volunteers, appointed by the Governor and representing a broad spectrum of Vermonters. This award recognizes MAHHC’s success in creating a workplace that promotes the health and wellness of its employees.
The Governor’s Award was presented to MAHHC at the 2018 Worksite Wellness Awards & Conference, which took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington on March 21. The conference provided hundreds of Vermont business owners, human resource professionals, and wellness experts the opportunity to learn strategies and best practices in worksite wellness, while sharing experiences and expanding professional networks.
Governor Phil Scott; MAHHC Wellness Committee Members: Amber Bedi, Marketing & Public Relations Mgr; Sandi Dion, Wellness Program Manager; and Mark Levin, MD, Commissioner, VT Dept of Health.
MAHHC has been committed to workplace wellness for many years as evidenced by the comprehensive wellness program it created that addresses five key areas of wellness, including physical, nutritional, emotional, occupational, and financial health. Employees of the Hospital enjoy a smoke-free campus and a cafeteria that features wholesome and nutritious food selections. There’s a spacious, private employee gym with a full array of fitness equipment available to serve MAHHC staff members. They can also participate in physical fitness programs, and attend classes for weight loss, exercise, yoga, stress reduction, and smoking cessation, most of which are sponsored by MAHHC and offered on site. The Hospital also offers health risk assessments to enable employees to earn insurance premium discounts and has an on-site United Way “Working Bridges” resource coordinator who helps staff minimize work disruptions, decrease absenteeism, improve financial stability and ultimately increase retention and advancement.
MAHHC’s Human Resources Director Jean Martaniuk oversees the program with the assistance of Wellness Program Manager Sandi Dion. Ms. Dion coordinates all employee wellness efforts with the assistance of a dedicated committee of staff members, including providers, benefit providers, and others.
“An intense focus on health and wellness in our community is critical to MAHHC’s mission,” say CEO and Chief Medical Officer, Joseph Perras, MD, “and the health of our employees is an essential part of that mission. The Governor’s Award is a welcome recognition of our success and we are pleased to be honored once again.”
About Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center
Founded in 1933, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) is a not-for-profit community hospital network in Vermont including the critical access-designated Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Historic Homes of Runnemede, a senior residential care campus, in Windsor, as well as the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock. Affiliated with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System, MAHHC provides primary care and a comprehensive suite of specialty services, along with 25 inpatient beds, a therapeutic pool and an acclaimed, fully modernized 10-bed Acute Rehabilitation Center. Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is dedicated to improving the lives of those it serves and is at the hub of a wide network of community resources that have partnered to cover gaps in services, and improve overall population health. One of the largest employers in the area, MAHHC acknowledges its employees as its greatest asset and has been recognized by the Governor’s Office with an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award.
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), is a recent recipient of Best Practice recognition by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for health care quality, and is recognized by the American Hospital Association (AHA) as one of the “Most Wired” hospitals for integration of technology to boost clinical performance. TheNational Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded MAHHC with Level 3 status, the highest level of medical home designation.