Northwest Permanente Health & Wellness Model

Why we promote health and wellness in the workplace:

Northwest Permanente promotes health and wellness through individual engagement of our leadership, physicians, clinicians and employees by “walking the talk” to set an example for our Kaiser Permanente patients.  The mission of our integrated health care system is: “To provide high quality affordable health care with a personal touch."

Our primary goal is to create an environment that supports individual efforts toward a healthier lifestyle through engagement and the use of wellness tools.  Our longer term goal is improve the health of our employees, their families, and our community.

Significant methods we utilize to create a healthy work environment:

• Visible leadership support for health and wellness
• Development and use of a personal “engagement” model that supports self-accountability for health and wellness
• Physician and non-physician wellness champions to focus activities on health and wellness
• Healthy options vending machines instead of junk food and soda pop
• ​Wellness incentive plan that provides monetary incentives for wellness related activities including community events and volunteer experiences
• Sponsorship of employee running/walking groups, participation in National Walking Day, American Heart Walk, cycling groups and other activities

Our most effective tool in creating a culture of health:

Our most effective promotion tool has been personal meetings with employees either individually, or by presentations at staff meetings.  By personalizing our wellness message and providing assistance with completion of our Rewards of Wellness incentive plan, we have achieved a high percentage of engagement, resulting in a shift in culture from one of inactivity at work to activity (noon walks, after work runs, bike rides, etc).  Our employees value our health and wellness program, and appreciate a work environment that supports their personal endeavors.