Wellness Plans : Wellness Fair Creating Guide.

Getting Started – Secure upper-level management support

• Justifications for having a wellness fair

• Health risk assessments

• Be certain to help for high-risk population –  smokers, obese employees

• Early detection of diabetes, heart disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure)

Health Fair Participation – Identify your audience

• Staff Members only, whole family, retirees?

• Community involvement? Theme?

Health Fair Time Line  

• Make sure to set a date and time Allow 4-6 months of planning time

Wellness Fair Creating

• Identify health-related screenings, tests, other activities you will offer Identify educational literature and other learning opportunities health fair will provide Include any “fun” activities, or food/beverage needs for the fair

Health Fair Location and Logistics

• Consider location big enough to accommodate the largest volume of people  at “peak time” periods

• Determine how booths/stations will be set up

Wellness Fair Providers

• Target relevant health/safety-related community and corporate vendors to provide services, educational materials, incentives and giveaways

Wellness Fair Advertising

• Determine advertising and marketing tools to be used to inform employees/participants (posters, mailings, e-mail)

• Determine any incentives or giveaways that will be included in the fair or used to encourage participation in the fair

Wellness Fair Scheduling

• Coordinate timing and events with staff and/or volunteers

Health Fair Personnel

• Schedule appropriate professionals Doctor or similar health care personnel to provide patient consultation for review of blood draw lab results

• Nurse(s) to administer immunizations

• Administrative/all-purpose individual to facilitate paper work, finger sticks and to provide general assistance

• Pharmacist or pharmacist assistant if appropriate Dietitian for nutritional counseling suggested personnel designated for health fairs

Footnotes

1 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation via Reuters Health E-Line.

2 Kaiser Daily Policy on Health Report, (9/11/03)

3 www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/lower_cost.htm

4 “Is Stress Nibbling Away at Your Bottom Line?” By Stephen Alper, Nov. 15, 2002.

5 Health Promotion in the Workplace, Michael P. O’Donnell, page 415.

6 http – //www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/internal/dayto/dayto_6.html