Philadelphia, PA, June 21, 2010 – ARAMARK, a provider of professional services that employs more than a quarter of a million people globally, has been honored yet again by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH). The ARAMARK Take Care Program achieved a Gold Award for its initiatives that encourage employees and their families to lead healthier lives. ARAMARK was among 66 employers that received the 2010 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award at the Leadership Summit sponsored by the NBGH’s Institute on Innovation in Workforce Well-being.
“The health and well-being of our employees is important at ARAMARK, and we support a culture of health and wellness,” says Valerie Wandler, Senior Vice President, HR Services, ARAMARK. “Our benefit plans offer a full range of confidential, free resources and services available to help our employees and their family members, from preventive care to assistance with chronic illness.”
The ARAMARK Take Care Program makes it easy for employees and their dependents to get and stay healthy through its focus on preventive health screenings. In 2009, the program saw a significant increase in preventive health screenings:
- 67% percent of individuals who obtained a screening in 2009 did not have any preventive care screenings in 2008.
- Routine physicals increased by 20.8%.
- Mammograms increased by 8.6%.
- Pap Smears increased by 27.2%.
In 2009, ARAMARK also increased its focus on patients dealing with chronic conditions, through the Informed Care Management Program (ICMP). This program reaches out to enrollees with one or more of approximately 35 different chronic conditions and offers the chance to work one-on-one with a registered nurse over the phone. These nurse coaches are able to help encourage medication compliance, identify warning signs, explain test results, prepare patients for doctor’s visits, avoid complications, customize an action plan to help patients manage their conditions, and offer general medical advice as well as tips on better nutrition and managing stress. So far:
- Those suffering from vascular conditions experienced improved medication compliance (use of lipid lowering agents) by 11.4% and 63% achieved satisfactory LDL levels , exceeding the clinical target of 50%;
- Of all ICMP participants with diabetes, 73% received annual hemoglobin testing, exceeding the clinical target of 70%; and
- Of all program participants with asthma 74% are following a nurse-established action plan for condition management, exceeding the clinical target of 70%.
“We are delighted to recognize ARAMARK for its innovation and commitment to providing lifestyle improvement programs designed to encourage healthier lifestyles for their employees,” said Helen Darling, President of the National Business Group on Health. “ARAMARK and its management team recognize just how important a healthy workforce is to increasing productivity and controlling health care costs, and we congratulate them on receiving this award.”
About the ARAMARK Take Care Program
ARAMARK’s Take Care program is designed to build a culture of health and wellness among employees and to support their efforts to get and stay healthy by utilizing the company’s benefit programs. The wellness programs available through Take Care span all aspects of an employee’s health, including physical and emotional well-being, and provide incentives for participation. Resources are available to assist employees and their family members with the full spectrum of health states, from preventive care to assistance with chronic illness. Some of the resources available to ARAMARK employees include nutrition counseling and support, health screenings and rewards for participation, smoking cessation programs, wellness seminars, work/life support, and 24/7 telephonic access to nurses and behavioral health specialists.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. The company is recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute, as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 255,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation’s only non-profit, membership organization of large employers – including 60 of the Fortune 100 – devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues. The NBGH identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. NBGH members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the NBGH, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org
Contacts:
Nicole Kennedy
215-238-8241
kennedy-nicole@aramark.com