NCPP Congratulates Vidant Beaufort And Vidant Pungo Hospitals As Gold Apple And Gold Star Standard Hospitals | Eastern NC Now

    News Release:

    Chapel Hill     Vidant Beaufort and Vidant Pungo Hospitals were recognized by NC Prevention Partners (NCPP) for providing the highest standard of excellence for comprehensive wellness programs offered to their employees in the areas of nutrition and tobacco-free environments. Hospitals receiving these acknowledgments are considered Gold Apple and Gold Star Standard Hospitals respectively. Funded by the Duke Endowment, NC Prevention Partners is working to improve the health of hospital employees across the state of North Carolina by creating worksite wellness environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

    Vidant Beaufort and Vidant Pungo Hospitals address how policy, the environment, education, benefits, and incentives support healthy employees. The Gold Apple is awarded to hospitals that provide delicious, affordable and healthy foods to all employees all the time. The Gold Star is presented in recognition of providing the highest standard of excellence for tobacco cessation programs offered to employees.

    "Vidant Beaufort and Vidant Pungo have set a high bar of excellence in terms of their employee wellness program. They provide their employees every opportunity to eat healthy and quit tobacco, if needed," commented Anne Thornhill, Director at NC Prevention Partners. "I applaud their great effort."

    All menu items in the hospital cafeteria and all vending machines have the calorie count noted on signage located at the point of service. According to Harvey Case, president of both hospitals "we have seen evidence that employees pay attention to the calorie information and take it into consideration when making their menu selections." Both hospitals have also established an employee wellness committee that is working to incorporate other initiatives for employees to help improve the overall health and wellness of their workforce.

    About NC Prevention Partners:

    NC Prevention Partners is a state and national leader in guiding schools, hospitals and workplaces to improve their culture of wellness by improving policies and environments that address tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and obesity. For more information, please visit www.ncpreventionpartners.org.

    MEDIA CONTACT:

      Heather Berdanier

       (919) 904-7618   •   heather@ncpreventionpartners.org