Podcasts
Check back often as our weekly newscasts contain important news and useful tips
Click on the titles below to hear the podcasts:
June 13 2011
Are Measurement Outcomes Improving? Not Really - Al Lewis Explains!
Al Lewis, Founder and President, of the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium (www.dismgmt.com) joined the show to share his thoughts on how the consulting and health care industries are doing when it comes to measuring disease management and wellness outcomes. Not very well, he declares. Mr. Lewis points out that even though there is a simple [...]
June 14 2011
How the Nation's Growing Obesity Rate Threatens the Workplace! Ed Foulke Explains.
The growing teen and childhood obesity rates do not bode well for organizations that will be hiring over the next decade. Besides being an important risk factor for a variety of illnesses & diseases, obesity also impacts the ability of a person to do their job safely and adequately. Employers will then face the double [...]
May 18 2011
A Community Cares Through Live Healthy Appalachia!
Southeastern Ohio has some of the highest rates of chronic diseases in the country. In forming the “Live Healthy Appalachia” initiative (LHA – www.livehealthyappalachia.org ), community leaders in and around the city of Athens, OH are committed to begin an assault on the deadly conditions of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. LHA is a [...]
May 6 2011
The Key is a Culture of Well-Being! Rosie Ward Explains.
How can worksite health promotion translate into organizational effectiveness? By broadening the scope to create a culture of well-being, safety and employee engagement. High performing organizations recognize the value of their human capital and invest in their employees to build on their strengths. Dr. Rosie Ward, Health Management Services Manager with the RJF Agencies, (www.rjfagencies.com), [...]
Apr 28 2011
Understanding the Skill Set of the Wellness Practitioner! Dr. Patti Rittling Explains.
What skills are necessary to make an effective wellness professional? More than you might imagine, including some that might surprise you. Dr. Patti Rittling joined the show to share her expertise and experiences. With educational degrees in Accounting (B.S.A.), Exercise Physiology (M.Ed.), and Health Promotion/Education/Behavior (Ph.D.), Patti clearly highlighted that it takes more than a [...]
Apr 19 2011
Achieving a Culture of Health! Judd Allen Explains.
Most people want to improve their health. In fact, most employees (80+%) will attempt some form of lifestyle improvement annually; but less than 20% are able to reach and sustain long-term goals. Wellness professionals are well aware that little of lasting value, including health improvements, can be achieved without a supportive cultural environment. We’ve learned [...]
Apr 1 2011
The Legal Aspects of Health and Fitness Programs! David Herbert Explains.
How prepared is your program in dealing with the legal rights, obligations, and liabilities of health and fitness activities? Many practitioners do not pay attention to the need of a risk management plan that will minimize the legal liabilities for an organization. David Herbert, Principal with David Herbert & Associates, joined the show to share [...]
Mar 17 2011
Hero to the Rescue with its Latest Report! Jerry Noyce Explains.
There are few organizations in the health promotion field that carries both the respect and trust of the professional community. The Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), www.the-hero.org, organization is one of the select few. With a founding mission to create and disseminate research, policy, leadership, and infrastructure in order to advance principles, science and practice [...]
Mar 8 2011
The Power of Communications at the Worksite! George Pfeiffer Explains.
George Pfeiffer is founder and president of the WorkCare Group, Inc., www.workcaregroup.com, – a company that provides award-winning communications and consulting services to organizations of all types and sizes. The first half of our interview with George was to discuss how important a role does a communication program play in a successful worksite wellness strategy. In addition, [...]
Feb 19 2011
The Essentials of a Successful Worksite Wellness Program! Bill Baun Explains.
Wellness programs have often been viewed as a nice extra, not a strategic imperative. New evidence tells a different story. A recent Harvard Business Review report identifies, “The Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs”, and the it reveals that the “ROI data will surprise you, and the softer evidence may inspire you”. In preparing a [...]
Feb 2 2011
Making the U.S. The Healthiest Nation - Dr. Nick Baird Explains How!
The Alliance to Make US Healthiest, www.healthiestnation.org, is a collaboration of national, state and local public health, business, nongovernmental organizations and consumers committed to making the US the healthiest nation in a healthier world. Dr. Nick Baird, CEO, joined the show to explain how they intend to achieve this lofty goal. One way they plan [...]
Jan 21 2011
A Community Cares and Strives to Make the Residents Healthier!
In 2008, the Muskogee, OK city council appointed a standing committee to promote healthy lifestyles among the citizens of Muskogee. The group’s mission is to create a healthier community where residents choose to change and lead overall healthier lifestyles by eating better, moving more, and being tobacco free. Joining the show to explain their Wellness [...]
Jan 7 2011
Delivering Better and More Cost-Effective Healthcare Benefits - George Pantos Explains!
The Healthcare Performance Management Instititute (HPMI) is a research and education organization dedicated to promoting the use of business technology and management principles that assist employers in controlling their healthcare costs. HPMI provides C-level executives with visibility and control over company healthcare benefits spending trends and risk management postures, while protecting individual employee privacy. We [...]
Dec 17 2010
The Year in Review - Highlighting The Best in Healthy Business Radio in 2010!
Dr. Rearick and Steve Cherniak dedicated the last show of the year to highlight their most important learnings from all the guests featured in 2010. Having interviewed over 34 experts in the health promtion and healthcare fields, it was difficult to come up with a Top Ten list. They decided on those interviews that revealed [...]
Dec 9 2010
Emphasizing The Importance And The Fun Of Wellness - The Chick-Fil-A Way!
When you look inside a successful company, it’s not surprising to find a culture that takes the health and well-being of its employees to heart. This is very apparent on this week’s show when we talked with the coordinators responsible for the health and wellness programs at Chick-fil-A, (http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#home). Elizabeth David Dixon is responsible for [...]
Nov 17 2010
Healthcare Advocacy Saves Time and Money! Dr. Aurthur Leibowitz Explains.
Frustration, not to mention lost time and money, has been the universal descriptors when someone tries to navigate the healthcare system to resolve clinical, insurance and administrative issues. Dr. Arthur “Abbie” Leibowitz joined the show to not only highlight these issues, but describe how his company helps to resolve them for their clients. Health Advocate, Inc., (www.healthadvocate.com), is [...]
Oct 28 2010
Finding The Most Physically Fit Company In Georgia! Mary Liebman Explains.
Activity challenges play a big role in companies’ annual wellness programs. Walking campaigns and other fitness-related competitions serve as an important wellness tool to reach and engage large groups of employees. And, when the activities are connected to charitable and community-based organizations, we find an increase in participation along with the goodwill that develops between [...]
Oct 19 2010
Is Medical Tourism Right For Your Company? Laura Carabello Explains.
Medical tourism has arisen due to the ever increasing costs of healthcare;and the desire to better manage these costs. This search for less expensive procedures and care includes both domestic and international travel for the services. Today’s guest and expert is Laura Carabello. She has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in both domestic [...]
Oct 13 2010
Is There A Right And Wrong Approach To Wellness? Andrew Sykes Explains.
Are HRAs a waste of time? What does it really take to change behavior? Do incentives really help produce a positive ROI? These are questions that businesses want answers to; and which the wellness industry struggles to provide. Taking an actuarial approach, where data helps drive the design and implementation of wellness programs, will help [...]
Sept 30 2010
Financial Well-being is an Important Asset to One's Healthy Lifestyle! Wayne Hanson Explains.
The crisis in personal financial management in these difficult times is exacerbated by the fact that many employees simply don’t have the training to meet the financial challenges that face them. A financially-well employee is better equipped to provide improved productivity, because they are not burdened by the worries and fears associated with personal money [...]
Sept 8 2010
Encouraging Downtown Atlanta Businesses to Walk - One Lunch at a Time! Zaquis and Zachary Ross Explain.
Walk for Lunch, www.walkforlunch.com, is an 4-week/8-day walking program designed to encourage downtown businesses, governments and employees to walk along planned walking routes during their lunch hour. The basic premise is to provide employees/participants with an out-of-the-box incentive plan to walk every week by giving them a healthy lunch in a safe, fun, and exciting [...]
Sept 2 2010
Do Corporate Events/Races Have an Impact on Communities? Jeff Galloway Explains.
The Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk & Fitness Program, www.kpcorporaterunwalk.com, is a unique workplace-organized fitness program that began in 1983 in Atlanta with 900 participants from a handful of companies. Designed to inspire fun, fitness and camaraderie among Atlanta’s corporate community, the event has grown into one of the largest workplace organized corporate fitness events in the [...]
Aug 20 2010
Balanced Choices for a Healthy Lifestyle! Deanne Brandsetter Explains.
Workplaces often project mixed messages when it comes to supporting a healthy lifestyle. The most likely areas are the cafeteria and vending machines. Many times, the food selections encourage poor eating habits rather than promote good nutrition. Deanne Brandstetter, VP of Nutrition and Wellness with the Compass Group, joined the show to highlight how good nutrition and [...]
Aug 5 2010
Expert Guidance Exists for Worksite Health Promotion! Nico Pronk Explains.
The International Association for Worksite Health Promotion (IAWHP), www.iawhp.org, is a not-for-profit organization that provides expert guidance to health promotion professionals and worksite coordinators. IAWHP’s mission is to advance the global community of worksite health promotion practitioners through high quality information services, educational activities, personal and professional development, and networking opportunities. Dr. Nico Pronk, the founding [...]
Jul 23 2010
Do Incentives Impact Behavior Change? Kevin Volpp Explains.
Many of the previous guests on the GHIGB show have stated that incentives are great for getting engagement; but not so good for achieving behavior change. Dr. Kevin Volpp, Director of the Center for Health Incentives, (www.med.upenn.edu/ldichi), focuses his research on the impact of financial and organizational incentives on health outcomes. Dr. Volpp discusses a recent [...]
Jul 8 2010
The Burden of Eldercare on the Workplace! Veronica Woldt Explains.
Two of the most important demographic trends that will impact the workforce are the growth in the number of workers with eldercare responsibilities, and the growth in the number of workers with both childcare and eldercare responsibilities. In fact, 35% of workers face daily eldercare responsibilities at some point during a given year. This caregiving [...]
Jun 25 2010
Wellness Southern Style! Jan Carter and Mendi McDowell Explain.
The Southern Company is a leading U.S. producer of electricity, owning electric utilities in four states. It has a strong, deep-rooted culture of employee safety. In 2005, the company extended that commitment and culture to the Wellness of its employees. They are implementing it – The southern way through a “Southern Lifestyle”. Jan Carter and [...]
Jun 12 2010
Wellness in the City - Implementing Health Promotion in a Municipality! Brenda Hall Explains.
The City of Fayetteville, GA has implemented their wellness initiatives for several years; and are beginning to see the signs of success. Brenda Hall, the City’s HR Manager and Wellness Champion, and Charles Stanley, Director of Public Works, joined the show to share their perspectives on the details and success of the wellness program. Ms. [...]
Jun 3 2010
Wellness Works with Human Capital Initiatives! Dr. Rachel Permuth-Levine Explains.
Dr. Rachel Permuth-Levine returns to GHIGB to update the listeners on the latest inititatives being implemented at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Center for Employee Wellness and Health Promotion. Always willing to try new ideas, Dr. Permuth-Levine described the latest mentoring program in-place; as well as the importance of key strategic communications, and the [...]
May 27 2010
Improving Worker Health - the Worklife Way. Dr. Casey Choosewood Explain.
Dr. Casey Chosewood, Senior Medical Officer for NIOSH’s WorkLife Initiative, joined the show to share details on this new government endeavor. Casey explained that the goal of the WorkLife program is to sustain and improve worker health through better work-based programs, policies, and practices. As a result, NIOSH has funded three Centers of Excellence to [...]
May 12 2010
Quality Improvement Equals Health Improvement. Dr. Craig Becker and Dr. Mary Glascoff Explain!
Dr. This week’s guests, Dr. Craig Becker and and Dr. Mary Glascoff, are professors in Health Education and Promotion at East Carolina University. Both have authored and lectured on the concepts of positive health and salutogenesis. In doing so, they are able to effectively demonstrate how to apply health promotion methods to the Quality Improvement System [...]
Apr 29 2010
The Benefits of a "Home" Model to Integrated Benefit-Design. Dr. Barton Margoshes Explains
Dr. Barton Margoshes, Senior Medical Director with Aetna, joined the show to discuss Aetna’s “Benefit Home” model. This new concept from Aetna provides plan sponsors with an approach that integrates the availability, access, and use of all the plan benefits and services when interacting with the member. With increased member identification and engagement, the employe [...].
Apr 22 2010
Does Our Genetic Makeup Affect Our Ability to Lose Weight? Donna Israel Explains
Dr. Donna Israel, President and founder of Professional Nutrition Therapists (www.foodtherapyrd.com), joined the show to share her expertise in genetic nutrition. Donna is a nationally recognized dietitian who has authored books and program for lifestyle weight management and diabetes awareness. On the show, Donna described her latest project is focused on Nutrigenomics – the scientific [...].
Apr 14 2010
Wellness Programs for the Small Employer – the Solution is Simple! Arlene Singer Explains
Arlene Singer, co-founder and CEO of WellCall, www.wellcall.com, joined the show to announce their SimpleSolutons program. Designed for the small employer, (< 75 employees), this innovative concept is a wellness program in a “box”. SimpleSolutions includes many of WellCall’s effective health programs, including: an online health risk assessment, health coaching, behavior change programs and challenges, and [...].
Mar 31 2010
The Best Run DM Programs Do Save Money - Al Lewis Guarantees it!
Al Lewis, Founder and President of the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium joined the show to announce that he will be personally validating and guaranteeing DM and Wellness for an "elite" group of organizations.
Mar 25 2010
Supporting Corporate Wellness - The FruitGuys Deliver, Literally! Chris Mittelstaedt Explains.
Chris Mittelstaedt is "Chief Banana" of the FruitGuys- the Industry leader in providing farm fresh produce to the American workplace. Chris joined the share how his company provides viable solutions to the workplace health crisis.
Mar 16 2010
Is there One Right Approach to Implementing Corporate Wellness? David Atkinson Explains.
David Adkinson is Vice President of Wellness Consulting for Cooper Corporate Solutions. Under his direction, Cooper Corporate Solutions offers consulting services to assist companies in determining the right resources to ensure the success of a wellness initiative.
Mar 12 2010
Influencing Senior Management-There is a Model that Works! Chuck Reynolds Explains.
Chuck Reynolds, Partner fo the Benfield Group joined the show to share his expertise in working with large employers on executive-level education, health and human capital strategy and communications. Mr Reynolds specifically outlined steps necessary in influencing senior management on the value of health as a strategic business strategy.
Mar 03 2010
What Does the Leading Indicator of Health Reveal about America? Katie Bell Explains.
Katie Bell is Partner, Global Well-Being for Gallup. Katie leads Gallup's well-being initiatives, including the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. This transformation endeavor, which interviews 1,000 Americans every day, is creating a database of health and well-being information that will provide government, business and healthcare leaders with a consistent metric to measure the health, wellness, and prevention...
Feb 16 2010
Success Has to Start at the Top! Dr. Dee Edington Explains.
Almost a year ago, Dr. Edington was on the GHIGB show to discuss his new book, Zero Trends – Health as a Serious Economic Strategy. His main message was that behavior change programs are not the solution if a company is serious about controlling healthcare costs and improving productivity.
Feb 11 2010
The Healthiest Choice Needs to be the Easiest Choice! Dr. Michael O'Donnell Explains.
Dr. Michael O'Donnell, Founder and Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Health Promotion, joined the show to share his views on a variety of important subjects.
Feb 03 2010
Move a Little, Lose a Lot! Dr. James Levine Explains How.
Dr. James Levine, Researcher and Professor of Medicine with Mayo Clinic, joined the show to share this views on NEAT (Non-Excercise Activity Thermogenesis) concept, and how it is far more important for burning calories than regular formal exercise.
Jan 28 2010
Incremental Changes to Behavior, while making it Fun Works Best.
Dr. Barbara Moquin, Senior Public Advisor to the NIH and NHLBI, joined the show to share her views on the keys to success in corporate wellness programs.
Jan 15 2010
Align Your Business Practices Correctly and Good Health will Follow.
Wendy Lynch, Executive Director for the Health as Human Capital Foundation joined the show and explained why, in her view, the relationship between health status and benefits costs is vastly overstated.
Jan 05 2010
Can Social Networking Work in Health Promotion Activities? Rajiv Kumar explains how.
Rajiv Kumar, co-founder of Shape Up the Nation, joined the show and explained why his program is unique among online health participation/tracking programs.
Dec 16 2009
How do You Measure Program Outcomes Correctly? Al Lewis Explains.
Al Lewis, Founder and President, of the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium joined the show to share his expertise in outcomes measurement and much more. He states that its not complicated, but very few program evaluations and ROI measurements are done correctly.
Dec 11 2009
How Do You Deliver Health & Wellness Services to 1.5 Million Employees? Dr. Gene Migliaccio Explains.
Dr. Gene Migliaccio, Director of the Federal Occupational Health Service, joined the show and provided his very interesting insights into how his office delivers health & wellness to all Federal employees.
Dec 03 2009
David Hunnicutt Explains that Wellness Needs a Results-Oriented Mindset
David Hunnicutt, President of WELCOA, joined the show to share his views on wellness in America. Dr. Hunnicutt shared his thoughts on why everybody seems to understand that Good Health is Good Business; but why many businesses can’t seem to achieve it.
Dec 03 2009
Kirstie Settas-Jones Explains What Works and What Doesn’t in the Workplace
Kirstie Settas-Jones, Wellness Director with Seitlin Benefits and Advisory Services, joined the show to share her expertise on implementing wellness programs in small businesses. Kirstie shared the successes and challenges she has experienced in guiding her client’s wellness initiatives.
Dec 03 2009
Dr. Ron Goetzel Identifies What Makes a Company Healthy!
Ron Goetzel, Director of the Emory University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies, joined the show to share his expertise on what makes a company’s wellness program successful in improving the health of its employees.
