Health
ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Adventist Health announced that it has acquired Blue Zones, a pioneer in taking a systemic and environmental approach to improving the health of entire cities and communities.
The organization’s work in over 50 communities across America has been credited with double-digit drops in obesity, smoking and body mass index, achieving millions of dollars of savings in health care costs.
This move by Adventist Health comes at a time when public attention is especially focused on the interconnectedness of our health to that of our friends and neighbors in the face of the coronavirus crisis.
Post-pandemic, a focus on improving and strengthening community and public health will be more critical than ever as communities across the nation and globe navigate recovery.
“Adventist Health has always believed in creating environments of belonging and easy access to healthy lifestyles, and we also know that the future of health care goes beyond the role of traditional hospitals by investing in our communities to improve people’s overall well-being,” Adventist Health CEO Scott Reiner said. “Adventist Health’s work with Blue Zones represents the future of health care and is a major component of our plan to redefine the role of health organizations across America and strengthens our commitment to inspiring health, wholeness and hope.”
Blue Zones infuses healthy choices, enhances connections, instills purpose and fuels hope to impact communities where people live, work and play.
This includes leveraging the Blue Zones Power9 lessons of longevity through a comprehensive model for transformational change called the Life Radius, a focus on people, places and policy.
Rather than relying solely on individual behavior change, Blue Zones focuses on optimizing environments to improve health by design.
“Blue Zones is proud to pioneer the advancement of the health of entire cities by systematically improving living environments, so the healthy choice is the easy choice,” said Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder and National Geographic Fellow and Explorer. “Adventist Health shares our values and its vision for community well-being aligns perfectly with our work. We believe that Blue Zones can have an even bigger impact as part of a strong and proven health organization.”
At a time when America is spending significantly more on health care than other countries without that investment translating to better health outcomes, this kind of model can improve the health of individuals and communities, and in turn, make care more affordable.
This transformational move is especially powerful as our society seeks to rebuild and find solutions to restore the health of the nation once the current coronavirus crisis passes.
Adventist Health’s vision to improve individual well-being by investing in healthier communities is rooted in the Seventh-day Adventist cultural heritage.
Since its inception in the 1840s, the Seventh-day Adventist tradition has encouraged a lifestyle of health and wellness.
These practices are infused into Adventist communities across the country, including Loma Linda, California.
The average life expectancy in America is 78, but in Loma Linda, the average male lives to 89 and female to 91.
Dan Buettner identified Loma Linda as one of the world’s five blue zones longevity hotspots in a National Geographic cover story in 2005.
Scott Reiner added, “In addition to our acquisition news, through Blue Zones, we have also concurrently completed an early renewal to continue collaborating to provide Blue Zones Project by Sharecare.”
Jeff Arnold, founder, chairman and CEO of Sharecare commented, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Blue Zones, and now Adventist Health, to advance and grow our market-leading solution for community-driven health."
The organization’s work in over 50 communities across America has been credited with double-digit drops in obesity, smoking and body mass index, achieving millions of dollars of savings in health care costs.
This move by Adventist Health comes at a time when public attention is especially focused on the interconnectedness of our health to that of our friends and neighbors in the face of the coronavirus crisis.
Post-pandemic, a focus on improving and strengthening community and public health will be more critical than ever as communities across the nation and globe navigate recovery.
“Adventist Health has always believed in creating environments of belonging and easy access to healthy lifestyles, and we also know that the future of health care goes beyond the role of traditional hospitals by investing in our communities to improve people’s overall well-being,” Adventist Health CEO Scott Reiner said. “Adventist Health’s work with Blue Zones represents the future of health care and is a major component of our plan to redefine the role of health organizations across America and strengthens our commitment to inspiring health, wholeness and hope.”
Blue Zones infuses healthy choices, enhances connections, instills purpose and fuels hope to impact communities where people live, work and play.
This includes leveraging the Blue Zones Power9 lessons of longevity through a comprehensive model for transformational change called the Life Radius, a focus on people, places and policy.
Rather than relying solely on individual behavior change, Blue Zones focuses on optimizing environments to improve health by design.
“Blue Zones is proud to pioneer the advancement of the health of entire cities by systematically improving living environments, so the healthy choice is the easy choice,” said Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder and National Geographic Fellow and Explorer. “Adventist Health shares our values and its vision for community well-being aligns perfectly with our work. We believe that Blue Zones can have an even bigger impact as part of a strong and proven health organization.”
At a time when America is spending significantly more on health care than other countries without that investment translating to better health outcomes, this kind of model can improve the health of individuals and communities, and in turn, make care more affordable.
This transformational move is especially powerful as our society seeks to rebuild and find solutions to restore the health of the nation once the current coronavirus crisis passes.
Adventist Health’s vision to improve individual well-being by investing in healthier communities is rooted in the Seventh-day Adventist cultural heritage.
Since its inception in the 1840s, the Seventh-day Adventist tradition has encouraged a lifestyle of health and wellness.
These practices are infused into Adventist communities across the country, including Loma Linda, California.
The average life expectancy in America is 78, but in Loma Linda, the average male lives to 89 and female to 91.
Dan Buettner identified Loma Linda as one of the world’s five blue zones longevity hotspots in a National Geographic cover story in 2005.
Scott Reiner added, “In addition to our acquisition news, through Blue Zones, we have also concurrently completed an early renewal to continue collaborating to provide Blue Zones Project by Sharecare.”
Jeff Arnold, founder, chairman and CEO of Sharecare commented, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Blue Zones, and now Adventist Health, to advance and grow our market-leading solution for community-driven health."
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday, Adventist Health announced it has launched on-demand virtual services which allow doctors to consult with patients remotely using video and audio through a computer or mobile device.
Virtual visits can be vital to cope with the growing surge in demand for medical services – and to keep health workers and patients safer.
So, instead of sitting in a waiting room, patients can see their doctor using video from their computer or device from home.
Providers are using virtual visits to screen for COVID-19 cases, handle routine visits and the chronically ill. They are proving to provide comfort for those patients who are anxious about coming to a clinic, especially as the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies.
Virtual visits also save masks, gowns and key supplies, which are in high demand for dealing with the pandemic.
“Virtual care makes accessing doctors and providers even easier with technology-enabled, easy to use tools to connect patients with providers. Patients’ can access care from the comfort of their home with less risk of exposure,” said David Santos, president of Adventist Health Clear Lake. “Our hope is that by making care more accessible and creating fewer barriers, more people will seek care, especially those who may be worried about COVID-19 and those who do not have transportation.
Patients are eagerly embracing this approach, in part to avoid going to clinics and waiting rooms. Limiting face-to-face encounters also helps protect health workers and support staff who are concerned about their exposure to infected patients who may be visiting clinics.
So, how does it work? To participate in a virtual visit, a patient just needs a smartphone, tablet or computer with a working camera and microphone.
The provider sends an email with a link for the scheduled visit which utilizes Microsoft Teams, a technology-enabled, easy-to-use secure platform, which is available as a downloadable app or web-based app. It’s simple and easy to use.
Adventist Health asks patients to log in 20 minutes prior to the scheduled visit so they can answer some intake questions regarding medications and health history. Once the visit begins, the provider and patient can see and hear each other as if they were in the same room.
“There are other medical needs besides COVID-19 and our community needs to know they can see their doctor safely from their home without having to go to a clinic,” said Santos.
Adventist Health’s clinic staff is reaching out to patients to reschedule appointments as virtual visits if possible. Patients who have a scheduled in-person appointment with a provider can also request to have their appointment rescheduled as a virtual visit by contacting their doctor’s office.
Virtual visits are covered by most insurance plans. To learn more about virtual visits, go to www.AdventistHealth.org/VirtualVisits or contact your local provider.
Virtual visits can be vital to cope with the growing surge in demand for medical services – and to keep health workers and patients safer.
So, instead of sitting in a waiting room, patients can see their doctor using video from their computer or device from home.
Providers are using virtual visits to screen for COVID-19 cases, handle routine visits and the chronically ill. They are proving to provide comfort for those patients who are anxious about coming to a clinic, especially as the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies.
Virtual visits also save masks, gowns and key supplies, which are in high demand for dealing with the pandemic.
“Virtual care makes accessing doctors and providers even easier with technology-enabled, easy to use tools to connect patients with providers. Patients’ can access care from the comfort of their home with less risk of exposure,” said David Santos, president of Adventist Health Clear Lake. “Our hope is that by making care more accessible and creating fewer barriers, more people will seek care, especially those who may be worried about COVID-19 and those who do not have transportation.
Patients are eagerly embracing this approach, in part to avoid going to clinics and waiting rooms. Limiting face-to-face encounters also helps protect health workers and support staff who are concerned about their exposure to infected patients who may be visiting clinics.
So, how does it work? To participate in a virtual visit, a patient just needs a smartphone, tablet or computer with a working camera and microphone.
The provider sends an email with a link for the scheduled visit which utilizes Microsoft Teams, a technology-enabled, easy-to-use secure platform, which is available as a downloadable app or web-based app. It’s simple and easy to use.
Adventist Health asks patients to log in 20 minutes prior to the scheduled visit so they can answer some intake questions regarding medications and health history. Once the visit begins, the provider and patient can see and hear each other as if they were in the same room.
“There are other medical needs besides COVID-19 and our community needs to know they can see their doctor safely from their home without having to go to a clinic,” said Santos.
Adventist Health’s clinic staff is reaching out to patients to reschedule appointments as virtual visits if possible. Patients who have a scheduled in-person appointment with a provider can also request to have their appointment rescheduled as a virtual visit by contacting their doctor’s office.
Virtual visits are covered by most insurance plans. To learn more about virtual visits, go to www.AdventistHealth.org/VirtualVisits or contact your local provider.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
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