Carilion Rolls Out (Stair) Wellness Campaign

CEO Nancy Agee (center) and Michele Hamilton get ready for a TV interview.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier today, Carilion Clinic launched Stairwellness – a wellness initiative to encourage employees and visitors at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (CRMH) to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Stairwellness is a free, convenient way to incorporate exercise into a daily routine. To help motivate this positive behavior change, the stairwell in the South tower of CRMH is now outfitted with colorful blocks of paint containing fun health information regarding the benefits of stair climbing.

“Carilion continues to put a strong focus on wellness and preventative care. Through small changes, such as promoting stairwell usage, we are creating a supportive environment and building a culture of wellness,” said Michele Hamilton, employee wellness consultant at Carilion Clinic. “Our employees are our patients too. We are cultivating an environment that supports healthy decision-making.”

Carilion launched the “Choose Wisely” program for employees last fall. Each month the Dining & Nutrition Services department identifies one health item as a wise choice. If an employee chooses the item, their receipt is stamped by the cashier and they are entered to win prizes. The Choose Wisely program rewards employees for making healthy decisions.

Other Carilion employee wellness initiatives include a monetary incentive for non-tobacco users, fitness and nutrition pilot programs, healthy and organic vending options, free flu vaccinations, bio-metric health screenings, on-site group fitness, Step by Step walking program, Weight Watchers at Work, and a “farmers’ table” or market of healthy foods.

“We anticipate implementing more wellness programs and extending existing programs in the near future. We want our employees to feel good about their health and we want to support their healthy lifestyles at work,” concluded Hamilton.

Stairwellness will be extended to community hospitals in the coming months. For more information, visit CarilionClinic.org.