United General earns first place in Governor’s Health Bowl

United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley won first place in the 2011 Governor's Health Bowl held by the Washington Health Foundation. A total of 100 employees, family members and community members participated in the competition to help United earn the award. Through November, they logged more than 16,000 miles of physical activity.

United General Hospital has won the title in all four of the years, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011, it has competed in the Health Bowl.

The Healthiest Business Challenge is a component of the Health Bowl where businesses compete against other businesses in a six week physical activity challenge.  

“The Health Bowl is a great way to encourage employees and their families to be healthy and active.” says Mark Pearson, Director of the Fitness Center at United General Hospital. 

Fitness Center Earns First Certification in the State

The Fitness Center at United is now a certified Medical Fitness Facility, after meeting the stringent requirements of the Medical Fitness Association (MFA), including having active medical oversight, licensed staff, safety policies and procedures, disease management programs, individualized screening, testing, and outcome tracking.

Mark Pearson, Director of the Fitness Center, explains that the facility offers exercise programs for patients with chronic diseases and multiple risk factors.

“We also work closely with the Physical Therapy, Diabetes Education, and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Departments,” he says, “to provide patients with exercise prescriptions, coaching and more.”

The Fitness Center is the first in the state, and only the 11th in the nation to earn the special certification. 

Employee Wellness Program is Award Winner

When the annual “Leaders in Health Care” awards were announced by Seattle Business magazine, we were proud to be names one of the top organizations in the region. United General won the 2010 award for “Employer Achievement in Developing Wellness Programs.”

Our employee wellness program includes health-coaching, access to an on-site fitness center, tobacco cessation program, and classes in stress management classes, nutrition and other health topics. The innovative program has helped employees reduce their risk of illness, lowered the need for sick leave, and increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Seattle Business is published monthly and reaches more than 100,000 business executives across the state. 

Fitness Director Earns MES Certification

Mark Pearson, Director of the Fitness Center at United General, has become certified as a Medical Exercise Specialist through the American Academy of Health, Fitness and Rehabilitation Professionals.

An MES is a fitness professional who not only works with the typical client looking to improve their health and fitness level, but who also has gained the knowledge and skills to work with clients with a wide range of medical conditions.

Mark is trained to develop safe and effective conditioning programs for clients with musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurological or metabolic disorders. He also understands how medical conditions respond to exercise.