Health & Wellness Chief at Walt Disney World Wins Award

When you have a cast of 60,000 employees managing their care and well-being can be quite a challenge. This is one area where Disney has been known to excel. From Health & Wellness centers on property to safety and risk management programs, Disney Parks is a known leader. Finally getting some recognition for that is Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chief Medical Officer Pamela Hymel, M.D. who was named the 2011 recipient of Global Leadership in Corporate Health Award, recognizing her career as a proponent of workplace health and wellness in leading U.S. companies.

At Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Dr. Hymel is responsible for integrating a segment-wide health and wellness strategy for Disney’s parks and resorts which includes Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Lines and Disney Vacation Clubs. She is also responsible for implementing a segment-wide electronic medical record, with integration into risk management, safety and HRIS systems as well as developing standardized practices and processes with a focus on improved efficiency, outcomes and cost effectiveness.

The award, sponsored by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) and the National Business Group on Health (the Business Group), honors the achievements of individuals who demonstrate excellence and leadership in implementing programs that improve the health and productivity of the workforce.

Dr. Hymel was recognized for her many contributions as a leader within the field of health and productivity management, where she is regarded as one of the nation’s experts. She has implemented successful health and wellness programs during her tenure at Hughes Electronics, Cisco Systems and most recently with Disney Parks & Resorts.

“Pam Hymel consistently advances new ideas about health and productivity and has been successful in creating a ‘culture of health’ in the workplace”, said Warner Hudson, MD, President ACOEM, “She is a true leader whose dedication has helped create healthier workplaces and benefited both employees and employers.”

“Dr. Pam Hymel is a widely admired leader, mentor, and visionary in occupational medicine, safety and health improvement programs in the US”, said Helen Darling, President and CEO, the National Business Group on Health, “She has successfully created comprehensive state of the art health programs and demonstrated over and over that she is not only a rare thought leader and premier researcher, but also an effective administrator.”

Dr. Hymel is active in a number of professional organizations, including serving as co-chair of the Business Group’s Institute on Health, Productivity and Human Capital. She has served as past-president of ACOEM and continues to serve on several ACOEM committees. She participates in research projects on health and productivity and has published in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Dr. Hymel is the recipient of many awards, including the Rutherford T. Johnstone Award for exemplary contribution to occupational medicine; the National Business Group on Health Leader in Value Purchasing Award; California Fit Business Award; the National Business Group on Health Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award; and the Meritorious Service Award from ACOEM.

Dr. Hymel is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Dr. Hymel received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine, her MD from Louisiana State University, and completed both her internal medicine and occupational medicine residency at the University of California, Irvine.

Previously: Disney Parks Opens Health & Wellness center for Employees.