The Palo Alto Medical Foundation, which is part of the Sutter Health network of care, and Marvell Technology Group, an international semi-conductor company, have launched a unique on-site wellness program at Marvell’s Santa Clara, California location to help make it easier for employees at the company to take care of their health at work.
“At Marvell, it’s a priority to help our employees achieve the best possible work/life balance,” says Alycia Osborne, senior benefits analyst at Marvell. “We know that healthy employees are happier and more productive at work.”
PAMF’s employer services team has been providing regular monthly lunchtime lectures to Marvell’s staff and has participated in the company’s health fairs as a vendor for the past three years. Developing a more structured wellness program – tailored to employees’ unique health needs – was the next, and most recent, step. To further develop this wellness program, PAMF collaborated with Sutter Health, which has established on-site wellness programs at employer sites throughout the Bay Area and Northern California.
Dr. Ronesh Sinha, medical director for PAMF’s Employer Services Program
“When we surveyed Marvell’s staff about their health history and habits, we found out that more than half the employees did not have a primary care doctor,” says Ronesh Sinha, M.D., medical director for PAMF’s Employer Services Program. “Many of the employees also have East or South Asian ethnicity, with a higher risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This was an excellent opportunity to help employees see the value of an ongoing relationship with a primary care doctor and provide them with the benefit of our expertise in caring for an ethnically and culturally diverse group of patients.”
12-Week Wellness Evaluation Pilot Program
In September 2011, PAMF and Sutter Health collaborated to launch a 12-week Wellness Evaluation Pilot Program for Marvell. The program comprised three key components, all held on Marvell’s campus, making it easy for employees to participate at work:
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Biometric screening: Nurses from an outside company visited Marvell and screened participating employees’ weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
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PAMF’s online personal Health Risk Assessment (HRA): Employees recorded their biometric screening results, completed the HRA and printed a copy to take to their wellness evaluation for review.
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40-minute appointment with a PAMF primary care doctor: Doctors reviewed each employee’s personal HRA, discussed the employee’s health goals, formulated a wellness plan and provided resources for long-term follow-up care.
“The one-on-one, in-depth consultation with one of our primary care physicians was a very special feature of the program,” says Dr. Sinha. “This provided an excellent opportunity and generous amount of time for employees to discuss their health concerns and questions and realize the value of establishing a relationship with a good primary care doctor.” Eleven doctors from PAMF were available for the individual consultations.
Approximately 200 employees participated in the pilot program, and in a post-pilot survey more than 85 percent said they would like to participate in a similar program if it was offered again. “The whole program was good and I got some new ideas on how to improve my health,” says one satisfied employee.
PAMF and Sutter Health’s work with Marvell is just one example of the way these organizations support the health and wellness of local employers throughout the Bay Area. Learn more about PAMF’s Employer Services Program.
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