Fresno City endorses C-Fit’s exercise push

Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearingen proclaimed May 2009 as National Exercise is Medicine Month at the urging of C-Fit, Community Medical Centers’ employee wellness program. The city endorsed the idea that “exercise is a powerful prescription” with great potential to improve citizens’ health and save money by reducing health care costs and keeping people in the workforce.

The mayor also encouraged citizens and physicians to talk to each other about the need for exercise and that doctors assess, advocate for and review every patient's physical activity during every comprehensive visit.

“Just walking a few miles per day can decrease your risk for heart disease, stroke, Type II diabetes, obesity, back pain and osteoporosis,” said Dr. Rhea Wong, Community’s medical director of employee health. “Aerobic exercise – walking, swimming, cycling and hiking – increases the endorphins in the brain resulting in improved mood. Exercise can also help one cope with depression and cope with stress.”

Workers’ quality of work, mental performance and time management are better on days when they exercised, according to research published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Dr. Wong has seen that to be true with the C-Fit Community Wellness Program. C-Fit encourages fitness among Community’s 6,000 employees, offering incentives to participate in free health risk assessments, individual coaching on nutrition, exercise and stress reduction, and recreational and educational fitness activities.

“Since C-Fit gained traction at Community, I have seen a general improvement in employee morale,” she said. “I see this improved morale in the attitude of our injured workers. They actively participate in their healing process.”

C-Fit has been named California’s only 2008 Gold-Level Well Workplace Award winner by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) for its comprehensive programs that produce results. Since C-Fit started in May 2007, Community has seen a decrease of more than $2 million in  claims against its health insurance and pharmaceutical costs, a 16.5% drop in emergency room visits by employees and 4 to 7% improvements in employees’ cardiac, diabetes and cancer risk indicators.

This story was reported by Erin Kennedy. She can be reached at ekennedy@communitymedical.org.

Thursday, May 28, 2009