Move Health Forward in Louisiana Healthcare Facilities
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Be a Leader for Quality Healthcare
Healthcare facilities touch millions of lives in Louisiana each year. All types of healthcare, from large health systems to safety net clinics, should focus on the health needs of our communities.
Dr. Keisha Harvey at Dr. K’s Family Medicine is one of the many healthcare professionals in Louisiana who has taken the lead in moving the health of her community forward. By connecting with Well-Ahead, healthcare facilities and hospitals can learn how to support employee health, geaux tobacco-free and promote healthy eating. You can also be connected to resources that will help you to improve retention and recruitment of staff and prioritize their training and education. Additionally, Well-Ahead offers services that can help you commit to quality improvement, link to community resources and expand access to care. All of these changes can make a positive impact in your community.
Change begins with you—take the lead in your community today!
Join the Provider Education Network!
Get connected to resources to better your practice and lead your pateints into a healthier future.
Health Data for Healthcare Facilities
We’re pretty proud of our way of life in Louisiana and our lifestyle has a big impact on our overall health. These numbers affect every aspect of life in our communities, including access healthcare services.
In the U.S., missed work days due to chronic disease (absenteeism) costs small employers up to
$18
per employee annually¹
In the U.S., missed work days due to chronic disease (absenteeism) costs large employers up to
$286
per employee annually¹
The cost of lost productivity during the workday due to chronic disease (presenteeism) can be as much as
15X
the cost of absenteeism²
40%
of all Louisianans have obesity³
44%
of current adult smokers who saw a health professional in the last year did not receive advice to quit⁴
Delivering a Better Healthcare System
If we want to connect our communities to a healthier future, we must make access to integrated, efficient and effective care services a priority. This means transforming from a health system that is fundamentally reactive, responding when patients are sick, to one that is patient-centered and proactive, empowering patients with the support they need to remain healthy. Healthcare facilities also play a critical role in modeling the healthy behaviors recommended to patients. The bottom line is healthier patients, more satisfied providers, and cost savings.
Implementing Positive Changes in Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare facilities can, and should, offer patient-centered services and promote healthy choices. Change the conversation around delivery of care at your facility and implement changes that can help your patients thrive. Each small change can influence health, one step at a time. We are here to help, and will walk alongside you as you implement these changes. Plus! When your facility implements enough healthy changes, the Louisiana Department of Health will designate it as an official WellSpot. Learn how you can be a leader at your facility for healthy change.
Support Employee Health at Your Healthcare Facility or Hospital
To care for others, healthcare employees must stay healthy. Promoting employee health is key in healthcare settings. Healthy employees are happier, more productive and absent less. They can also model healthy behaviors for patients. Invest in the health of your employees by making these key changes at your facility.
Help Patients and Employees Live Tobacco-Free
You can play a unique role in reducing tobacco use in your community. Encourage your patients (and employees!) to live life tobacco-free. Adopt a tobacco-free policy. Make tobacco use screening and referral a standard of care among your healthcare team. Geaux tobacco-free by putting in place these key changes.
Prioritize Healthcare Staff Training and Education
Continuous learning is essential in healthcare. Our Provider Education Network can connect you to an ever-growing bank of tools, training and technical assistance to help you provide the best possible care to your patients and make every angle of your practice more effective.
Commit to Quality Improvement at Your Healthcare Facility or Hospital
Quality healthcare helps our residents live healthier and happier lives no matter their circumstances. Understanding and properly implementing quality improvement strategies is necessary to improve efficiency and clinical outcomes. Apply for our Population Health Cohort to receive specialized coaching and support to position your facility and community for success.
Mobilize Community-Clinical Linkages
Community-clinical linkages are connections between clinical and community sectors that improve population health. When healthcare facilities work collaboratively with the community sector, patients are empowered with better support than the clinical sector can provide alone. Partner with community stakeholders to develop or leverage existing community resources.
Serve Safety-Net Communities by Expanding Access to Care
Help all Louisiana residents reach their full health potential, regardless of their demographic, genetic, environmental, medical, social, behavioral, or economic. Fuel innovation and develop unique approaches to deliver tailored care to our most vulnerable populations. 98% of our residents live in a health professional provider shortage area. Leverage available resources to provide to quality care to in these communities.
Enhance Retention and Recruitment at Your Healthcare Facility or Hospital
Attracting and retaining quality staff members influences the care your facility provides. When you enhance your approach to workforce retention and recruitment, you can become a destination workplace. Leverage available incentives to elevate your workforce and partner with us to promote vacant positions at your facility.
Citations
1 Milken Institute, 2018. Absenteeism and Employer Costs Associated With Chronic Diseases and Health Risk Factors in the US Workforce. https://milkeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/reports-pdf/ChronicDiseases-HighRes-FINAL.pdf
2 Employers Health Coalition, 2000. The Hidden Competitive Edge: Employee Health and Productivity.
3 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2022.
4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020. Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/tobacco/2020-cessation-sgr-factsheet-key-findings/index.html
We are here to help! We’ve developed a set of wellness benchmarks just for healthcare facilities that want to implement healthy changes like these. From implementing a tobacco-free policy, to supporting breastfeeding mothers, to increasing access to healthy food choices, these benchmarks provide evidence based strategies to move the health of our communities forward.
We will walk alongside you as you work to meet these benchmarks. Once enough benchmarks are met, we will officially designate you as a Level 3, Level 2 or Level 1 WellSpot—our highest designation.
Being designated as a WellSpot is a big accomplishment—so your community needs to know all about it! Upon designation, you will receive a recognition certificate from the Louisiana Department of Health. You will also receive an official WellSpot decal to display on the entrance of your school. In addition, your organization will be added to our interactive WellSpot map. You will also receive a promotional toolkit to help you promote your designation on social media, to the press and more!