Occupational Health

Promoting wellness in the workplace provides benefits that extend far beyond reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and bigger bottom lines. When considering a wellness program, take into account the following reasons why it is a good fit for the workplace:

• Programs offered at the workplace help to build a collective support system and team camaraderie because there is a specific, mutual goal.
• Most Americans spend the majority of their time at work during most days of the week.
• Making positive behavioral changes in a group setting may seem less intimidating than attempting change on our own.
• Offering programs at the workplace help to change unhealthy cultural behaviors into positive habits that can reach from the workplace to the home.
• Creating a culture of health and wellness is contagious and working within your organization can have a lasting impact on future generations of employees, where being healthy is the norm not the exception.

It is the only long-term answer for keeping employees well, productive, and on the job. In addition, the cost of employee health insurance is greatly influenced by the frequency with which your health plan is used, the cost of medical claims, and prescription drugs. You can reduce that cost by providing your employees with a customized Corporate Wellness Program.

Through our five-step process, occupational health can develop a program based on your company's specific healthcare needs.

• Assessment: A Health Risk Assessment Questionnaire (HRA) is used to evaluate employees' risks for developing certain health conditions. The HRA can be combined with a comprehensive wellness assessment that includes measurements of cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, and waist circumference and body composition.
• Identification of risks: Based on the Health Risk Assessment and screening results, each employee receives a confidential health risk assessment report on their health status and a strategy to make lasting lifestyle changes. Employers receive an aggregate report that identifies the current health status of their company that provides the framework for the development of a lifestyle management program with targeted interventions.
• Program Development: Our team of healthcare professionals work in coordination with the client company to develop a Corporate Wellness Program based upon their unique objectives.
• Lifestyle Management Programs: Targeted plans are implemented to influence behaviors and foster the development of a pathway to a healthier workforce. Targeted Lifestyle Management programs vary and are customized to meet the client company's needs and goals.
• Evaluation: Annual evaluations are recommended to ensure that your company's program is successful and continuing to accomplish desired goals. The evaluation of established program goals and benchmarks are essential for future program development and return on investment tracking. Because changing corporate culture and individual lifestyle doesn't happen overnight, an evaluation can be a valuable tool in the process. The results can be used as a measure of past successes as well as a roadmap for future achievement.

Establishing an onsite wellness facility can present unique challenges. One of our Onsite Wellness Coordinators can work with your company to develop a strategic wellness program at your company to address the unique health and wellness needs of your employees. The coordinator can develop and implement a comprehensive program that includes fitness testing, exercise prescription, program orientations, and follow-up to ensure that your program is on track and successful.

Occupational health programs can be used to assess the overall health of employees, target areas for improvement, provide screenings, and implement health and wellness programs. Any of these lifestyle assessments and solutions can be executed individually or in combination with great success.

Some of the best results have come from long-term, comprehensive health and wellness programs that Occupational health has developed through corporate partnerships. Sustained partnerships allow our staff to make initial assessments and develop specialized programs for optimum fitness, nutrition and disease control and prevention. Over time, we can chart progress and identify improvement and areas of concern. Your company's plan for wellness may then be modified to grow with the evolving needs of your employees.

The Lafarge Concrete Company and the Jefferson Parish Fire Department are just two examples of how Occupational health corporate partners have gained fantastic results from our programs.

• Coplish
• Country Day
• Bernhard MCC
• Marquette
• HUB
• Jefferson Parish
• JPFD
• Lafarge Concrete Company
• LAMMICO
• Lanier
• New Orleans Hotel
• Prima Health
• Randa Corp.
• Men's Accessories

Wellness coaching

The purpose of Wellness Coaching is to establish a unique road map to wellness and personal lifestyle change that can reduce risk factors for disease and improve the overall health status of each participant.

Wellness coaching can be provided through face-to-face meetings or through telephone and email coaching. Wellness coaching is typically a phone-based conversation, which lasts for 15 minutes each session, but we will work to establish a communication method that best meets the needs of the individual.

Nutrition counseling

Good nutrition is essential for maintaining health and providing the energy necessary for optimal physical and mental performance. Poor nutrition is a significant risk factor in many of the leading causes of death including coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Group or individual sessions can be scheduled with our Registered Dieticians.

Weight management

Our Weight Management programs are customized to your company's needs and population. Programs can be oriented for an individual or for a team. The activities included in the program are specifically customized for your company.

Wellness, workshops, and lectures

Workshops, seminars, and lectures can be scheduled at your worksite or at our location. Lectures can be presented in one-hour formats or longer. Choose from a variety of topics or request a customized presentation created to meet your specific needs.

Weight management, nutrition, cancer awareness, exercise programming, sleep health, and risk factor management for cardiovascular disease are examples of some of the most requested topics.

Monthly wellness campaigns

Our team of professionals can work with your company to develop monthly campaigns designed to meet the changing needs of your staff. Our Wellness campaigns are group programs that promote health and lifestyle changes in fun and interactive ways.

Our monthly campaigns can include the following topics and more:

• Weight management
• Nutrition
• Heart health
• Back safety
• Men's health
• Hypertension awareness
• Great American Smokeout
• Exercise
• Risk factor management
• Time management
• Stress management/mind and body programs
• Women's health
• Diabetes health
• National employee health and fitness
• Fit Club Challenge

We wouldn't suggest your company try a fitness challenge unless we tried it first with fantastic results. Find out how our Fit Club Challenge can trim waistlines and boost morale around your office.

Health and fitness group or individual demonstrations

Our educational demonstrations will provide employees first-hand, interactive experiences on various aspects of their health. Demonstrations include exercises that can be done at your desk, stretching to prevent injury, and how to setup your workstation to reduce the risk for repetitive motion injuries.

Group exercise demonstrations for health and fitness are also available.

Topics include the following:

• Stress management
• Tai Chi
• Yoga
• Aerobic and strength training exercise for weight loss

Exercise programs

Customized exercise programs can be developed to meet the unique needs of your employees based on the information from the HRA and Health Assessment. Work duties or tasks are also considered, so a more meaningful exercise program can be developed to address the inherent risk of a particular job. Simple stretching before work begins can have a positive impact and exercise can help reduce your risk for injury. Consider having regular classes scheduled at your worksite to improve health and wellness as well as weight management.

Massage therapy

Therapeutic massage sessions are used to combat and alleviate stress. Our licensed massage therapist provides massages for employees or 5-10 minute chair massages can be provided at your company's worksite.

Occupational safety

Safety programs are provided on a variety of topics to assist companies in OSHA compliance and employee education. Programs include ergonomics and back safety programs. An ergonomic assessment is an evaluation of the worksite or specific work tasks to identify the risk for injury from repetitive movements.

Disease management

We offer an abundance of exercise classes designed to improve muscle tone, stability, flexibility and other physical difficulties associated with a variety of illnesses.

Health Risk Assessment

A comprehensive Health Risk Assessment Questionnaire (HRA) is used to evaluate employee's risks for developing certain health conditions. The HRA can be combined with a comprehensive wellness assessment that includes measurements of cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference, and body composition.

Based on individual employee answers and screening test results, each employee receives a confidential health risk assessment report. The aggregate report is also a useful tool that illustrates the current health status of a company, provides a framework for development or interventional programs and provides the needed feedback to keep your wellness initiative on track.