Summary

Lifestyle education, prevention, wellness programs – if not us, then who? We are starting to realize the fallout of the pandemic on healthcare systems with high CEO turnover, nurse shortages, hospital closings, and increased physician suicide. We are also seeing, at the same time, the health of America rapidly declining. Employee burnout cost $322 billion in lost productivity (Gallup). There will be 500 million new cases of preventable diseases by 2030 forecasted to cost $300 million. Deloitte & Touche forecasted a 13.8% increase in employer healthcare spend in 2023. CDC forecasts that by 2030, one in five Americans will be obese. How do we support these daunting trends? We need to step up as medical wellness professionals to lead the way offering lifestyle education programs to our local community, to employers and all potential partners. Take it to the people and teach commercial fitness centers how to adopt a medical wellness/fitness model to embrace lifestyle education programs in their centers. If not us, then who?

Learning Objectives

1. Review current landscape of worsening health trends
2. Identify gaps in providers for lifestyle education
3. Review strategies for medical wellness professionals to build bridges with more audiences

Speaker

Debbie Bellenger, CEO/Founder of Body By Design
Debbie Bellenger is a health and wellness executive providing advisory services and education to various audiences. Debbie has served as SVP of Healthy Living programs for 9 YMCA’s in South FL, been the Director of Wellness for 22+ years for two different hospital systems in SC/NC. At the NC hospital she was able to create a new $0.5 million dollar Corporate Wellness services developing, delivering and overseeing wellness programs for local employers of all sizes. Debbie is an MFA member and regular speaker. She is also a speaker at Club Industry, SCW, and Canfitpro. She is currently serving on the Club Industry Executive Advisory Board holding the corporate and medical wellness seat.