Thursday, February 6, 2003 TODAY
Loma Linda University Medical Center news
LLUMC leads way in ÔWhole Person CareÕ seminar
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| Michael Jackson, MPH, senior vice president and administrator of East Campus, leads seminar participants in the fundamentals of creating a healing environment at work. |
Loma Linda University Medical Center, in cooperation with The Employers
Group (a human resources consulting company), presented a seminar that
focused on controlling worker’s compensation and health insurance
cost in the workplace through an innovative approach--whole person care.
The seminar took place on January 29, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in
Wong Kerlee International Conference Center.
Attendees benefited from presentations by representatives from LLUMC, The Employers
Group, and other business community members such as Omnitrans in San Bernardino.
Presenters discussed how whole person care affects the workplace and directly
impacts the bottom line. The conference aimed to strengthen management teams
in every area from human resources, finance, administration, operations, benefits,
and risk managers.
Eight different speakers covered the topics of creating a whole person healing
environment, employee recruitment, and retention through a healthy workplace
spirit, worker’s compensation changes, legalities of functional testing,
and the use of functional data in the hiring process.
The keynote speaker was Larry Feeler, president and CEO of WorkSTEPS, Inc., one
of the nation’s largest providers of functional assessments and industrial
rehabilitation services. He is recognized as one of the nation’s leading
authorities on functional assessments and their role in hiring, fit-for-duty,
transitional duty, and return-to-work programs.
Presenters from LLUMC included Michael Jackson, MPH, senior vice president of
LLUMC and LLUAHSC; Robin Butler, RN, BC/PMHNP, director of education at Loma
Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center; and Kent Hansen, Esq., from the
office of general counsel at LLUAHSC.
Mr. Jackson’s presentation on creating a whole person healing environment
offered insights for managers on how to transform a workplace into an area people
love coming to work in. He related the bottom-line savings of creating an environment
that reduces stress; $150 billion each year. That is the price for health insurance,
disability claims, lost productivity, and other expenses when one in four workers
suffer from stress-related problems.
Mr. Jackson identified four stressors as the main culprits in most stress-related
problems; job stressors, environmental stressors, psychological stressors, and
technological stressors. The worst of these stressors included excessive demands,
chronic overload, deadline pressure, excessive red tape and paperwork, insufficient
resources, poor lighting, uncomfortable workspace, lack of privacy, conflicting
demands and responsibilities, inadequate training, and outdated, poorly maintained
equipment.
The best way to counteract these stressors is to transform the work place into
a microrestorative environment; a space that provides options and choices, access
to social support, connection to nature, pleasant distractions, and elimination
of environmental stress. Simply put, adding a plant, keeping office doors open,
and involving employees in daily decisions can transform an explosive situation
into a productive work place.
Ms. Butler’s presentation on creating a healthy workplace spirit gave a
practical spin on spirituality. Defined as adding meaning and purpose to life,
creating a healthy workplace spirit can increase productivity, enhance recruitment
and retention, and decrease use of sick time.
The overall seminar gave attendees a solid step on the way to using the whole
person care approach to controlling costs.
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Thursday, February 6, 2003 TODAY
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