PeaceHealth honored for its commitment to the health and wellness of its employees

PeaceHealth has been ranked No. 2 in the Portland Business Journal’s list of Healthiest Employers of Oregon for organizations with 5,000 or more employees. This is the third year in a row PeaceHealth has been honored for encouraging the health and wellness of its employees, and its highest ranking yet.

The award, which is given annually to organizations that are committed to creating a healthy workplace, acknowledges the success of PeaceHealth’s employee wellness program spanning all PeaceHealth’s facilities in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. The designation uses an online assessment to measure employee participation, health outcomes and leadership commitment, among other measures.

PeaceHealth’s wellness program takes a holistic approach by focusing on the financial health, nutrition, stress management and physical fitness of its employees.

“At PeaceHealth, we believe that community wellness begins with our own caregivers,” said Jim Larrick, PeaceHealth system vice president of human resources operations and systems. “By encouraging whole-person health, we are excited to extend our culture of wellness to our patients and families and improve the health of the communities we serve.”

PeaceHealth’s program is not tied to medical plan enrollment, but instead fosters a culture of wellness by offering an interactive, personalized wellness platform with fun, health-related resources and rewards. For example, all employees receive a free Fitbit device for enrolling and completing a voluntary biometric screening.  Employees can also earn monetary incentives throughout the year by tracking individually chosen healthy habits and engaging in friendly competition with fellow coworkers, family and friends.

Employees can also take advantage of a variety of health-focused discounts from local, regional and national vendors, such as health clubs and fitness centers, massage treatment, travel and more. A variety of offerings are available at PeaceHealth facilities, including gyms and shower facilities, walking trails, flu shot clinics, healthy vending machines and discounted healthy food options.

PeaceHealth also recently launched an Integrative Nutrition Pathway scholarship program for its employees - the first of its kind in the nation. The program is available to all employees and provides the opportunity to earn a certification as a health and nutrition coach at PeaceHealth’s expense. PeaceHealth simply asks that participants share their new knowledge and expertise with friends, family and colleagues who may benefit.

In addition, PeaceHealth’s Healthy You platform is available to anyone and everyone and offers classes, webinars, recipes and much more to support people on their wellness journey.

Visit PeaceHealth’s careers website to view open positions and learn more about joining PeaceHealth.

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 1,100 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission.