RWJ Hamilton Recognized by American Heart Association with Two National Fitness Awards
Wellness Principles are applied during National Hospital and Healthcare Week and beyond

HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) has received two high-level awards from the American Heart Association for its initiatives to help employees and the community get fit and stay healthy. RWJ Hamilton received the Gold Award as a Start! Fit Friendly company for its employee wellness programs. The hospital was also honored with a Community Fitness Innovation Award, one of only four such awards presented nationally, and the only one in New Jersey.

"National Hospital Week, May 6 through 12, is a good time to thank our nurses who actively promote community health and wellness through extensive prevention programs and screenings. The RWJ Hamilton Employee Wellness Team creates programs that not only allow our employees but also employees throughout the county, to practice what they teach others – the value of physical activity and a healthy diet," says Ellen Guarnieri, RWJ Hamilton President and Chief Executive Officer.

Innovation Award Honors Childhood Obesity Efforts
The Community Fitness Innovation Award was presented to RWJ Hamilton for its efforts to combat childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes through the Diabetes Screening and Support Program for Children and Teens in Mercer County. Educational programs in schools, community centers and doctors’ offices emphasize healthy eating habits and physical activity. Programs also include screenings to identify at-risk youth and family weight management through the hospital’s Shapedown program.

"Childhood obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions in this country," Guarnieri says. Of nearly 4,000 children screened through the program, one-third were identified as being at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Start! Fit Friendly Designation Recognizes Employee Wellness
The Gold Award recognizes an organization’s efforts to promote a wellness culture for its employees, support physical activity and offer healthy eating options at work. RWJ Hamilton encourages employee wellness by offering worksite health screenings, fitness and stress management programs, wellness benefits and incentives, weekly healthy food options, nutrition information and even chair massage.

"We strive to provide our employees with the tools to lead a healthy lifestyle," Guarnieri says. "We recognize that to achieve our vision of improving the health and well-being of our community, we must include our employees. Our employee wellness program is designed to care for the whole person, not just the person on the job."

Guarnieri accepted the awards on behalf of the hospital during the inaugural National Start! Walking at Work Day on April 25 at the Statehouse in Trenton. The Heart Association initiative is designed to encourage employees to improve their physical fitness by walking at work.

More About RWJ Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is the only New Jersey hospital to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Located in Hamilton Township, NJ, the hospital is part of the RWJ Health System and Network and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey-RWJ Medical School and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The RWJ Hamilton Health Care Corporation serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Hamilton, three affiliated medical groups, seven Lakeview Child Centers, and the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, home of a medically-based fitness center and the hospital's extensive community education program. Over 1,900 hospital employees and 650 medical staff physicians share RWJ Hamilton's passion for Excellence Through Service. For more information, visit www.rwjhamilton.org.