Vital Stats: 23K Number of workers employed by Montefiore Medical Center. (Source: Montefiore Medical Center)

Maintaining a healthier Bronx has consistently been the mission of Montefiore Medical Center. And the hospital’s crop of employees is no exception, a reason why Monte launched To Your Health!, an initiative to bolster the well-being of its 23,000 employees at every level.

Its overarching goal is relatively simple: keeping its associates healthy. In its internal webpage, To Your Health! reminds Montefiore staffers to lead by example and take care of oneself as they would for others. “…[I]n caring for others, we also need to care for ourselves,” reads the message to those interested.

“In order to be able to be in their position and take care of their patients, their health needs to be good as well,” said Jessica Shapiro, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., associate wellness dietitian at Montefiore. The program began sometime in 2009, ramping up efforts for a healthier workforce in 2012.

Workshops are a daily part of Shapiro’s outreach, which range from free yoga classes, talks on the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, and other exercise classes. Sessions are held at various hours of the day to adapt to employees’ schedules. At Montefiore’s health-conscious cafeteria (no fried foods are found there), nutrition tastings are regularly held. Employees can also take advantage of a Weight Watchers program at a discounted rate.

But drawing a crowd to the program’s yearly events remains a challenge, despite its services featured on Montefiore’s internal webpage and constant outreach by Shapiro and her team. These days, To Your Health! representatives stop by Montefiore’s employee orientation sessions to offer a presentation on the benefits.

“That’s where the first conversation starts,” said Shapiro, adding she and her team are open to suggestions on “getting the word out” to attract Montefiore employees to its healthy sessions.

Should one be interested in improving their health, they’re encouraged to take a health survey to determine how healthy you are. “Then you take a quick webinar, you get $25,” said Shapiro. “Once you get on there, you get on the email list. We send out monthly happenings every month that tells about the different associate events that go on.”

Shapiro doesn’t dispute that working towards a better you is challenging, though she stresses that opting for a healthy lifestyle can “open more doors to becoming even more healthy.

“So it’s just one step at a time,” said Shapiro. “It is a lot of work, but in the long run it’s worth it because you can live a longer, healthier life for yourself and the people around you.”

 

Editor’s Note: To schedule a talk with Jessica Shapiro, email wellnessrd@montefiore.org.