Baptist Works with Employees to Impact Overall Community Health
Baptist Memorial Health Care recently hosted a special event for Baptist team members at Shelby Farms Park to commemorate the opening of the new Baptist Promenade. Nancy Averwater, VP of HR at Baptist, sat down with the Better Health Blog to share more about her experience at the event and how employee health ties back to community health.
What was the overall goal of the Shelby Farms event for Baptist employees?
This event was planned so that Baptist team members and their families could come and enjoy the new park at Shelby Farms, which is a beautiful and wonderful environment. We thought this was a good way for our own employees to see the contribution Baptist made toward the new Baptist Promenade walking trail and to experience it first-hand. We also wanted to provide a venue for our team to be able to get together in a scenic outdoor space and fellowship with each other in a fun, family-friendly environment.
How does Baptist work to tie employee health back to overall community health?
One of the great things about our organization is that we understand that our reach goes well beyond the walls of our hospitals and it starts with our own team. Our team members work, play, and live throughout the entire Mid-South region so we are invested in their overall health and well-being. We encourage our team members and their families to take good care of themselves and to have annual check-ups with their primary care providers to get the appropriate health screenings and know their numbers.
What unique services does Baptist offer to help improve community health?
We offer a variety of services to the community focused on preventive care and wellness. Across our system, we routinely offer free health fairs to include blood pressure, glucose, and bone density screenings, free flu shot events, and more. Many of our hospitals and campuses have walking trails and our hospital cafeterias offer a variety of selections to encourage healthy eating. Our investment in the Baptist Promenade at Shelby Farms is just one example of many where we have made contributions that will benefit the community.
How can people in the Mid-South get involved to help improve community health?
In my opinion, the best way is to start with yourself by setting the right example for others. You truly do owe it to yourself and those you love to be as healthy as possible.
Visit our website to take control of your health by choosing a doctor for a check-up or attending one of our community events near you.