Corporate Partner News for August 2023

1) Promoting Flu Vaccination in the Workplace

Take ACTION to keep your workforce healthy this flu season, and consider hosting an on-site flu vaccination clinic! Making annual flu vaccinations part of your workplace wellness program offers benefits to you and your employees

• Reducing work time missed to get vaccinated
• Reducing absences due to illness, resulting in improved productivity
• Providing a convenient option
• Reduces doctor visits and out-of-pocket expenses for employees

Despite the many benefits offered by flu vaccination, only about half of Americans get the annual flu vaccine. During the average flu season, the flu can cause millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths.

Flu Vaccinations FACTS:

• The vaccine can keep you from getting sick with the flu, and has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40-60%.
• The flu vaccine has been shown in studies to reduce the severity of illness in those that were vaccinated, but still got sick.
• The flu vaccine is a very important preventative tool for those with certain chronic health conditions such as heart disease, COPD and Diabetes.
• Getting yourself vaccinated may also help protect your loved ones, including those who are more vulnerable.

The Health First Center at Catawba Valley Medical Center can assist in planning an on-site flu vaccine clinic, as well as other health promotion services to keep your workforce as health as possible. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Meghan Harmon (Health First Center Coordinator) at mharmon@cvmc.us.

Resources:

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention, NCIRD
• Publications for Influenza Vaccine Benefits

2) Helping You Meet OSHA Standards

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) works to ensure safe and healthy environments for workers by setting and enforcing standards and providing education, training, and outreach assistance. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards related to their industry.

Catawba Valley Occupational Health offers services to meet OSHA standards in top key areas to include hearing conservation, pulmonary function testing, respiratory fit testing and blood borne pathogen exposure management & education.

Hearing conservation-

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year. Whether working at a sports/music venue, in a manufacturing plant or operating heavy machinery- hearing loss is preventable. The workplace is responsible for measuring noise levels, providing exposure parameters, and providing hearing protection devices to help reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

Hearing conservation programs strive to prevent initial occupational hearing loss, preserve and protect remaining hearing, and equip workers with the knowledge and hearing protection devices necessary to safeguard themselves.

Occupational Health offers audiometry baseline and annual testing with review by a qualified provider.

Pulmonary function testing

Spirometry, or Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) plays an important role in occupational respiratory health surveillance by helping to determine if a worker demonstrates a specific pattern of respiratory impairment and to assess the effectiveness of protective measures in the workplace.

A PFT measures how well the lungs are functioning and is used to evaluate worker respiratory health and to screen workers for their ability to perform certain work tasks. This may be used for various occupations in setting such as healthcare, industrial/manufacturing, first responders, and firefighters.

Occupational Health offers PFT for companies by appointment in our clinic, Mon-Fri.

Respiratory fit testing-

Millions of workers are required to wear respirators in various workplace environments throughout the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fibers, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapor, sprays, and disease particles. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or death. Compliance with OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard could prevent large numbers of deaths and illnesses annually. Respirators protect in two basic ways: 1- removal of contaminants or particulates from the air via the use of a filter or cartridge system or 2-supplying clean air from another source providing their own air supply.

Employers should provide training on how to use respirators, how to test for and determine a proper fit and how to maintain their respirators for optimal use.

Occupational Health offers respiratory fit testing, medical questionnaire review, & provider medical evaluation.

Blood borne pathogens-

Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in blood that can cause disease in others if cross contaminated. These pathogens include Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries may expose workers in many occupations, such as first responders, housekeeping, and healthcare workers to bloodborne pathogens.

Employers must work to reduce the hazards of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens by developing an exposure plan to include workplace controls, provision of personal protective equipment, employee training, medical surveillance, and Hepatitis B vaccinations.

Occupational Health works in conjunction with the CVMC emergency department to offer exposure treatment and management should a workplace exposure happen.

For more information about Occupational Health services available to our corporate partners, contact us at corporatehealth@catawbavalleymc.org

3) Healthy Eating on a Budget

Does it really cost more to eat healthy? Many people think so, but let’s look at it this way: You may spend more at the grocery store, when you buy healthy food, but you’ll save money in the long run by preventing chronic disease. Additionally, fast food costs at least TWICE what it costs to buy healthy food from the grocery store, and the added salt and preservatives are not going to help you reach your health goals. Below are a few tips, from Lindsie Miles, MS, RD, LDN – Wellness Dietitian at CVHS, for how to eat healthy and stay within your budget.

Step 1

• Planning: You don’t plan to fail, you fail to plan.
  • Planning your meals is imperative to sticking to your budget. Check your kitchen. Make your list. Check the store ads and apps for sales and coupons. Planning your meals does not have to be an over whelming task. Things to consider when planning your meals:
    • How much is this recipe going to make?
    • Do I have most of the ingredients at home?
    • Am I going to use the fresh produce that is left over from the recipe before it goes bad?
    • Are any of the items on sale?
  • Make your list and stick to it. Avoid buying items on an impulse… and off your budget.
  • Check kitchen inventory twice a week. Use fresh foods first and find a use for everything before it goes bad. Freeze leftovers for another day. Use ripe bananas for banana bread or smoothies.

Step 2

• Shop to get the most value for your money.
  • Don’t shop hungry, you may over-shop and over-spend! Have a snack before you go shopping and stick to your list.
    • Did you know? People who have not eaten for 5 hours buy 18.6% more food than people who have eaten.
    • People who have not eaten for 5 hours purchase 44.8% more high calorie foods
  • Shop seasonally. Local, seasonal fruits and vegetables are at a peak flavor and are sold at a lower price. If not in season, it may be cheaper to buy frozen or canned on sale.
  • Buy on sale items, generic/store brand items, and use coupons or rewards cards/apps. In-store brands are lower in cost. Local newspapers and reward apps/cards offer coupons and more savings.
  • Read food labels. Compare nutrition facts. Aim for low saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. (5% or less is low). Aim for foods high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals (20% or more is high).
  • Shop the perimeter of the store. Fresh product, meats, dairy and breads tend to be on the outer perimeter of the store, so start there before shopping the inner aisles.
  • Buy in bulk. Buy larger sizes and save money. Purchase dried beans instead of canned and large containers of oatmeal instead of individual packets. Review the unit price to see if you are getting the better deal! Make your own snacks or beverages instead of buying the prepackaged individual options.

Step 3

• Make cost-cutting meals at home.
  • Cook more often at home. Eating out tends to cost more and usually leads to eating larger portions.
  • Use leftovers for meals. Use leftovers for ingredients to make more meals, like vegetables or meat for soups and casseroles. Search the internet for recipes that use leftover ingredients.
  • Eat smaller portions. Save money and take care of your body by not overeating.
  • Use a slow cooker. The method can help tenderize less expensive but tougher cuts of meats. And you can stretch your ingredients easier!
  • Cook large batches and freeze for later. Double a recipe to plan meals for another day. And cook when you have more time, like on the weekends.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be overwhelming or costly. Stick to the basics: choose whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats and low-fat dairy and create a balanced plate!

Nutrition education is one of the most popular programs we offer our corporate partners. Let’s face it, we all have to eat. We also know that eating healthy saves our employees money over time, by preventing costly chronic disease. This cost savings gets passed on to employers through reduced utilization of medical plan expenses. Are your employees eating healthy? Catawba Valley Health System’s corporate health team can prepare a series of educational programs tailored to your employees that will give them the tools to make better choices when it comes to food. For more information about nutrition programs available to our corporate partners, contact us at corporatehealth@catawbavalleymc.org