One of the long-term priorities of Tompkins
County is sustainable health for all. By sustainable health we mean the ability
of area residents of all ages to learn and adopt lifestyle behaviors that help
prevent disease and lead to good health and long, productive lives.
To achieve this goal of sustainable health,
each of us must pay attention to those health factors over which we have some
control. What we eat, how active we are, whether or not we smoke cigarettes,
and how we handle stress are examples of things we can control that can have a
big impact on our health.
Cayuga Medical Center, in partnership with
the Cayuga Center for Healthy Living, is now offering a user-friendly incentive
program called Get Healthy Tompkins. This free, interactive web-based program
is easy to use. It can help us engage in the healthy behaviors we know about,
but which we sometimes put off. The program was developed with the support of
our medical staff, the Tompkins County Health Planning Council, Excellus
BlueCross BlueShield, and health and wellness experts at Ithaca College and
Cornell University.
What’s the driving force behind Get
Healthy Tompkins?
Heart disease is the leading health problem
in Tompkins County. Many factors contribute to heart disease, including poor eating
habits, lack of exercise, stress, and carrying too much weight. Cayuga Medical
Center is committed to battling this disease with as many proven strategies as
possible. We have a responsibility not only to provide excellent clinical
outcomes and the best customer service but also to help our community stay
healthy in the first place.
How does Get Healthy Tompkins work?
Get Healthy Tompkins provides tools,
resources, and educational materials to encourage each of us to be more
proactive about our health. It also provides incentives (such as drawings for
prizes) to encourage us to set reachable goals and take steps to increase our
physical activity, improve our nutrition, and try other healthy behaviors. The
program is designed to help our physicians, employers, and families join in the
shared goal to reduce risk factors like obesity, diabetes, and smoking, and to
adopt healthy behaviors like walking and substituting water for soda.
At the Get Healthy Tompkins site, you can
create your own individualized information page to help you track your
progress. The Health Library link contains in-depth information on hundreds of
health conditions, prescription medications, FDA drug approvals and actions,
self-help resources, and complementary medicine. The Calendar feature lists
local health-related events and Get Healthy Tompkins information and deadlines.
An e-Newsletter contains the latest information of interest from Cayuga Medical
Center.
How do I join?
It’s easy to join. Using your Internet
browser, just type in
www.gethealthytompkins.org or you can Google Get Healthy
Tompkins and reach us that way. Our goal is to engage everyone in Tompkins
County with a few simple, straightforward ways to improve their health.
What if I need more in-depth help to
change my behavior and reduce my risk factors?
The Cayuga Center for Healthy Living (CCHL)
provides education, guidance and support for people with chronic health
problems related to lifestyle risk factors, including individuals with
cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, diabetes,
and weight-related health problems. CCHL goes beyond the basics of Get Healthy
Tompkins by providing a team of lifestyle management specialists to help people
learn to manage their chronic health conditions and improve their health
through meaningful change. You can ask your doctor for a referral or call CCHL
for an appointment at (607) 252-359o.
Disease prevention is one of the most
important components of comprehensive health care. And prevention is a
cost-effective way to reduce health-care costs, for individuals and families,
for businesses, and for the country as a whole. We are optimistic that Get
Healthy Tompkins will be a valuable program to help area residents achieve
sustainable health.
John Rudd is president and CEO of
Cayuga Medical Center. Dr. Geoff Moore is the director of the Cayuga Center for
Healthy Living, located at the Island Health Center on Taughannock
Boulevard in Ithaca’s West End.
