As a leader in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, Quintiles Transnational Corp. understands the importance of promoting health and wellness. The company has been on the fast track to receive accreditation from the CEO Cancer Gold Standard^TM. In just five months, Quintiles has been able to establish and roll out a multi-faceted wellness program called Healthy U, Healthy Q.

"We were able to initiate the program quickly due, in large part, to the steadfast support and passion of our CEO," said Ann Skye, RN, MPH, program manager. "We didn't have a formal wellness program in place previously, so we took this opportunity to develop a comprehensive program that meets our employees' needs and fulfills the mission of the Roundtable."

The initiative uses creative, innovative strategies to engage employees and help them adopt healthier lifestyles.

Driving Cultural Change, Ensuring Access

Healthy U, Healthy Q builds on the Gold Standard requirements for cancer prevention, early detection and quality care and aims to alter the company's culture and working environment to support and sustain employee wellness.

"We are building this program from the ground up and driving real cultural changes," said Oren Cohen, MD, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. "Our goal is to change peoples' behavior, which is one of the most difficult things you can do."

The company has started providing more healthful food options at company cafes, vending machines and meetings. It also endorses company participation in community-based walks and other events as a way to encourage team-building and physical activity.

Moreover, Quintiles has worked to remove financial and access barriers to screenings and tobacco cessation by reducing or eliminating co-pays and providing on-site screenings. According to Skye, less than half (43%) of female employees receive mammograms as recommended, so there is an urgent need for awareness-building and screening.

Both Skye and Cohen stress the flexibility with which the program operates so it can be readily adapted to different sites and provide opportunities for home-based employees to take part. Because so many employees are geographically dispersed, Quintiles invested in and recently launched a cutting-edge, custom-designed Web portal designed around the Gold Standard requirements. The site was developed in partnership with LiveHealthier and provides a steady stream of new information and tips to improve health and is available to employees 24/7 wherever they have Internet access.

The Web portal features:

• Trusted health information, including links to cancer resources and clinical trial databases
• Unlimited access to registered dieticians, certified personal trainers and other experts
• Personalized health management tools
• Latest health news, including monthly reminders about cancer awareness months and recommended screenings, upcoming walks, etc.
• Testimonials from other employees
• Wellness information for employees with heavy travel schedules

The Five Pillars in Practice In addition to the information and tools on the Healthy U, Healthy Q Web portal, other important health-promoting changes include: Tobacco Use Promotes American Cancer Society's Quitline to provide telephone counseling and support Free OTC and prescription smoking cessation medications for employees and covered dependents Campus-wide tobacco-free policy Diet and Nutrition Weight Watchers subsidies Healthier choices in Quintiles café, vending and catering Lunch and learns Physical Activity Fitness center membership reimbursement On-site fitness centers Community events/walks Lunch and learns Screening and Early Detection On-site screenings Free cancer screenings Cancer Awareness Month communications, reminders Lunch and learns Access to Quality Treatment and Clinical Trials Program covers care at accredited cancer centers near all Quintiles offices and major US cities Links to clinical trial search engines, cancer resources

Employees Already Notice Benefits

The response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive.

"This is a long-standing commitment," said Skye. "And our employees recognize the time, effort and energy we are putting into their personal and family health."

Randall Blanco, senior IT project manager, says he admires the company's investment to make employee wellness a priority. "It motivates people to take more time for their health," he said. Blanco was only 39 years old and otherwise healthy when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2005. Inspirational stories like Blanco's are helping others to think about their cancer risk and when to get screened.

David Foster, an IT workstation associate in the Parsippany, NJ office, has already lost 95lbs doing Weight Watchers at work. He believes the ability to give and get support from other co-workers who are also striving to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is central to his success.

"Quintiles is providing the means to help employees meet their weight goals," said David. "We now have fruit platters at meetings instead of cookies and brownies, we have pedometers to motivate people to get out and walk during the day, and all of this promotes a shift in behavior."

And this is what Quintiles hopes to see – a cultural shift toward more healthful behaviors.

"I'm proud that we have taken steps to ensure that our culture, policies and benefit programs assist our employees in practicing good health habits," said Dennis Gillings, PhD, CEO, who has been actively involved in the CEO Roundtable on Cancer since 2001. "It's important. Our employees are our most valuable asset."

Quintiles is headquartered near Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.