Akron General President & CEO deemed 2013 Wellness Warrior
Akron, OH (PRWEB) October 29, 2013 -- The Foundation for Healthy Communities of the Ohio Hospital Association today recognized Akron General Health System’s Thomas “Tim” Stover, MD, as the 2013 Wellness Warrior – a designation that recognizes a hospital or health system executive who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to wellness promotion in Ohio.
The award recognizes a hospital or health system executive who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to wellness promotion in Ohio. The Wellness Warrior is an individual who has passionately championed the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle to hospital employees and their local community, and who has successfully showcased hospitals as leaders in health promotion. This recognition rewards the commitment of hospital leadership to health promotion.
Under Stover’s leadership, Akron General Health System has repeatedly been recognized as a national leader in health and wellness. Stover consistently spreads the message that the hospital has “embraced a model of care that represents a dramatic departure from traditional health care (sick care) and redirects focus and resources toward prevention, wellness, physical exercise and a continuity of care that is unique in America today.” A few of his most notable accomplishments during his 17 years at Akron General include:
- Founding three large outpatient community-based Health & Wellness Centers that bring together a range of clinical outpatient services with exercise and retail-oriented health services. The medically supervised Akron General LifeStyles fitness program is offered at the centers and boasts more than 17,000 members. Since 1999, LifeStyles has been named as Club Industry magazine's number-one hospital-owned fitness center in the country.
- Establishing a dedicated Wellness Services Department, which offers Akron General employees a wide range of wellness services such as group exercise classes, nutrition consultations, free and reduced cost exercise opportunities, free diabetes medication and counseling and much more. Akron General is proud to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite for creating a healthy workplace and taking important steps to create a culture of wellness by providing support to employees.
- Spearheading the new Akron General – Kent State University Health and Wellness Research Collaborative, which seeks to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles by integrating public health, basic science and clinical and behavioral research.
The award winners were chosen by the Foundation for Healthy Communities’ Board of Directors following independent review of nearly 50 nominations by executives who volunteered from academic, business, health, medical and nonprofit organizations. This is the second year the Wellness Warrior, Wellness @ Work and Community Champion awards have been presented, and each comes with a cash award to further the recipient hospitals’ wellness efforts. For more information, and to see all of the nominees and award winners, visit http://www.healthycommunitiesohio.org.
Send Stover congratulatory messages on Facebook (facebook.com/akrongeneral) and Twitter @MyAkronGeneral. #GoStover
About Akron General Health System
Akron General Health System is a not-for-profit health care organization with the mission of improving the health and lives of the people and communities it serves. Akron General Health System includes: Akron General Medical Center, a 532-bed teaching and research medical center, and Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation Institute, the area’s largest provider of rehabilitation services; Akron General Partners, which includes Partners Physician Group, the Akron General Health & Wellness Centers, Lodi Community Hospital, Community Health Centers and other companies; Akron General Community Health Ventures, which includes Visiting Nurse Service and Affiliates; and Akron General Foundation. Recently, U.S. News & World Report ranked Akron General Medical Center as the fifth best hospital in Ohio. In 2013, the American Nurses Association bestowed the prestigious “Magnet” status on the more that 1,000 nurses from Akron General Medical Center, Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation Institute and the Health System’s Health & Wellness Centers. For more information about Akron General Health System, visit http://www.akrongeneral.org. Follow Akron General on Twitter @MyAkronGeneral.
About the Foundation for Healthy Communities
The Foundation for Healthy Communities was established by the Ohio Hospital Association in 1994 and has the vision to help hospitals lead Ohioans to better health. It initiates and champions health improvement and education by engaging partners, promoting proven strategies and advocating for wellness. Learn more about the Foundation for Healthy Communities at http://www.HealthyCommunitiesOhio.org.
About Ohio Hospital Association
OHA was established in 1915 and represents 207 hospitals and 22 health systems throughout Ohio. OHA is a membership-driven organization that collaborates with member hospitals and health systems to ensure a healthy Ohio. In 2012 Ohio hospitals contributed $73 billion to Ohio’s economy and provided $3.1 billion in community benefits. For more information, visit http://www.ohanet.org. Follow OHA on Twitter @OhioHospitals. OHA's address is 155 East Broad Street, Suite 301, Columbus, Ohio, 43215.
Amy Kilgore, Akron General Health System, http://www.akrongeneral.org, +1 (330) 344-6014, [email protected]
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