Georgia DHR Launches New On-Line Health and Wellness Resource in Eight Counties

Collaboration with Georgia Cardiovascular Health Initiative, Georgia Diabetes Prevention Program and Longitude Health Addresses Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Obesity

The Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Public Health (DPH), in association with Longitude Health, announced today an innovative program, MyHealthVillage, to help identify and reduce the major risk factors for chronic conditions. The program will focus on improving cardiovascular health including issues associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

MyHealthVillage is being introduced throughout the state of Georgia. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the program is a holistic approach — addressing the whole person and the whole population — and improves health and wellness by recognizing how cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity are interrelated and share a common set of modifiable risk factors.

“Georgia faces a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. When these conditions are combined they reduce our citizens’ quality of life, hurt the productivity of our workers and raise healthcare expenses for our employers,” said Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford, acting director of the Division of Public Health. “This program provides a proven prevention, wellness and disease management service that will help individuals assess and manage their health risk factors including how they eat, exercise and manage tobacco, alcohol and stress. As a result, we hope to see improved health and productivity among participants.”

The innovative healthcare program includes:
· Longitude Health’s MyHealthVillage.com Health Assessment - A comprehensive health risk assessment questionnaire delivered online or on paper.
· Onsite biomedical screening for additional health risk factors.
· One-to-one health guidance on understanding the Health Assessment and reducing risk factors with Longitude Health Healthguides, who are trained, allied health professionals.
· Access to online health tools and workplace-delivered resources including proprietary Longitude Health content and the American Heart Association’s Search Your Heart Curriculum.
· MyHealthVillage.com incentives and communications resources to encourage and reward maximum participation in the program as well as coordinate with DHR Division of Public Health’s promotion activities.

Once an employer enrolls in the program, employees and their spouses can participate with no out of pocket cost to either the employer or the participants. The MyHealthVillage program is free to selected worksites through an application process with the DHR Division of Public Health’s Office of Health Behaviors (http://health.state.ga.us/programs/healthpromo/index.asp).

“Our mission is to prevent unnecessary death, disease and disability by providing carefully planned and appropriately implemented health promotion, disease prevention and care activities,” said B.J. Walker, Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources. “We are excited to be able to provide our citizens with a comprehensive health solution that easily adapts to Georgia’s varying communities.”

“Over the years, Georgia has been working actively to support worksite wellness and promote healthy behaviors. We are thrilled to be included in this effort and we look forward to introducing Longitude Health’s resources,” concluded Dr. Jan Swaney, Founder and CMO of Longitude Health.
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