HASC, in partnership with the Corporate Health and Wellness Association, hosted the first annual Hospital Wellness Conference Aug. 4 in Los Angeles. The event drew 133 attendees from across the state who were interested in learning about effective strategies for implementing employee health and wellness programs.

This intensive one-day event explored various case studies from leading employers that have succeeded in their wellness initiatives. Educational sessions and networking focused on corporate wellness, value-based benefit design, and reducing health care costs through health and wellness promotion. A key reason for hospitals to improve their health and wellness programs, as mentioned by the American Hospital Association’s January 2011 Call to Action, is to provide an example of health to the community.

The conference offered a chance for facilities to highlight their exemplary work in this area. In the Spotlight: Wellness Programs that Work featured success stories and presentations by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Saint John’s Health Center – John Wayne Cancer Institute and Verdugo Hills Hospital.

HASC thanks all attendees and sponsors for their participation in this year’s program, including the following presenters:

A Call To Action: Creating a Culture of Health
Leonard Kirschner, MD, MPH, AHA Committee on Research

Legal Requirements for Wellness Programs and Their Impact on Key Program Design Choices
Christopher Scanlan, Director, Litigation Department, Howard Rice

Are Your Employees as Healthy as They Can Be? Changing Employees’ Behaviors and Environments to Save Lives and Money
L. Casey Chosewood, MD, Senior Medical Officer for WorkLife, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Research-Proven Wellness Programs at Henry Ford Health System, a Recognized Leader in AHA’s “Creating a Culture of Health”
Alba I. Rodriguez, PhD, Associate Director, Center for Integrative Wellness and Integrative Medicine Research, Henry Ford Health System
Ramon Nunez, DAC Sensei, Director, Waterford Center for Integrative Medicine

Creating a Vision and Culture of Workplace Health – It Starts at the Top
Elizabeth Glenn-Bottari, MA, RN, CRRN, Vice President & COO, St. Joseph Health System
Maracie Wilson, MSN, RN, CES, PHN, Director of Wellness and Health Improvement, St. Joseph Health System

Partnership Perspective for a Healthy Workforce
Judy Heinrich, EAP, Regional Manager, Kaiser Permanente Southern California

Communications that Drive Change and Get Results – Getting Employees to Take Action
Diana White, Executive Director, Aetna
Tina Seniff, Director of Client Services, Aetna

Changing Employee Behavior to Control Healthcare Cost
Hamilton Mears, PT, FABC, Administrator, Scripps Wellness Program

Making the Carrot a Stick – Using Incentives and Plan Design to Drive Wellness Participation
Todd Limm, M Ed, CSCS, Employee Wellness Coordinator, AltaMed Health Services
Thomas Siegmeth, MPH, CHES, Director of Wellness & HIV Services, AltaMed Health Services