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.
Beginning November 2011 Disney’s Contemporary Resort will give guests yet another option to customize their dream vacations with Walt Disney World’s first health and wellness suites, combining the magic and fun of Disney theme parks with healthy and relaxing amenities at the deluxe resort.
This seems like the perfect fit for the Contemporary and will fit in well with the already modern room designs and amenities available to patrons. They will be replacing just the 14th floor, so it’s not a huge portion of the hotel given over to this concept, but it could be expanded later if it becomes popular.
Check below the jump for an interesting interview with a Disney representative who provides many more details about the new concept:
You may do a double take this weekend as 18,000 Disney Princesses take to the roads of Walt Disney World for the second annual Disney’s Princess Half Marathon. That’s nearly twice as many as ran last year. A plus, because it’s all for a good cause The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Also returning is Disney’s Fit For A Princess Expo. It is open to the public and is a great place for women to learn about health and wellness. Find it at the newly re-branded ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
“Every woman wants their chance to feel like a princess and this event allows them to embrace the attributes Disney princesses embody: commitment, courage, determination, fantasy, perseverance and strength,” said Disney Sports Area Manager Kathleen Duran. “This event is all about princesses and spreading the message of health and wellness to women of all fitness levels while incorporating the glamour and grace of the Disney princesses.”
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend is part of the Endurance Series at Walt Disney World Resort, which gives recreational athletes of all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and swim their way “around the world.” From marathons to road races to triathlons, athletes from across the country and around the world compete to stay in shape, achieve personal best times and raise donations for charitable causes. Popular Endurance Series events are Expedition Everest Challenge (June 12, 2010), Inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (Oct. 1-2, 2010), Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon (Jan. 6-9, 2011) and Champion 5k at ESPN the Weekend (February 2011).
This morning in a backstage area behind Epcot, the Walt Disney Company redeemed a prescription for healthy cast members when it opened the Center for Living Well as a one stop shop for primary medical car for 40,000 eligible Cast Members and their families. Disney partnered with Take Care Health Systems a provider of over 375 similar on-site facilities to bring this valuable resource to the cast members of Walt Disney World.
As a primary care center, the Center for Living Well includes Labs, Facilities, Pharmacy, and the ability to handle any urgent care matters. Additionally there are staff members who will help patients to develop the tools required to stay healthy for the long run.
With the Center for Living Well “Cast Members gain a tool for healthier living,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. “It will make it easier than ever before for them to take advantage of the many health and wellness resources Disney offers.”
President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Al Weiss, who has been appointed the Executive Champion for health and well being at the Walt Disney Company, said the center will provide cast members Holistic look at health with teaching opportunities. It will also tie-in with other facilities provided around the resort, such as health clubs, to ensure a healthy cast. That makes it a win-win in the long term.
Another benefit of the center is the outreach to the many cast members who come from overseas to work at the resort. Large populations of Haitians, Vietnamese, and Spanish speaking people work around the resort. The center for Living Well features signage in multiple languages, staff members who are fluent in one or more of the common languages, and resources available via telephone for other translation needs. This will no doubt be a big selling point as Disney attempts to attract more workers from these communities.
In addition to cultural sensitivities, they’re also taking privacy into concern. The design and layout of the facility means you’re unlikely to run into your boss while waiting for service. Wait times will be minimized and exam rooms are specially designed to protect the identity of whomever is in the room.
The Center is open to all Disney Cast Members who are enrolled in one of the 5 Cigna plans. It will be open 7 days a week (M-F 7A-7P and S-S 9A-5P) with the pharmacy open the same hours. They are recommending that everyone make appointments, although walk-ups will be accepted.
I have a full set of photos from the event this morning and a tour of the facility over at my flickr account. You can also read the whole press release below the cut.
