Naval Medical Center Portsmouth was among the commands to earn a gold star in the 2014 Blue H - Navy Surgeon General's Health Promotion and Wellness Award.

A gold star Blue H was also awarded to Branch Health Clinic Naval Station Norfolk; branch health clinics Oceana and Adm. Joel T. Boone each received a bronze anchor Blue H.

"As we progress from health care to health, the Blue H Award is the Navy surgeon general's way of identifying those units that are providing outstanding health programs," Capt. Darin K. Via, commanding officer. "With the complexity of care that we do, being recognized for having outstanding health programs is a great accomplishment. This showcases how much our staff is working to ensure we take care of patients when they are sick, but also preventing them from being sick."

The Medical Treatment Facility category recognizes excellence in clinical primary prevention services, community health promotion and medical staff health. Health topics include nutrition, tobacco cessation, weight management, alcohol abuse prevention, injury prevention, physical activity, psychological health and sexual health.

"Winning the award is a reflection of the whole organization's focus on the culture of wellness, and I am glad to be a part of it," said Alice Fitzpatrick, community health specialist and program manager for the ShipShape, Right Weigh and Heart Health programs.

The Blue H Award is earned at three levels: bronze anchor, silver eagle and gold star. Each command that applies receives at least the bronze anchor. To earn the silver eagle, a command must score at least 50 points in every judged category, and the gold star level requires commands to achieve a minimum of 80 percent of total available points.

Fitzpatrick said that winning the gold star shows that NMCP's programs and services not only meet but exceed the standards in maintaining health and fitness.

"Our programs are evidence-based and several of our programs have been benchmarked for providing high quality care," Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick submitted information on her programs and others, showing that NMCP offers awareness and counseling to help promote healthy lifestyles and healthy weight targets for beneficiaries and employees.

"I also submit the 'mNEAT,' which is the nutrition assessment of the hospital environment," Fitzpatrick said. "This assessment helps us target areas to improve the nutrition environment. We made improvements this year in the availability of more healthy choices in the vending machines and in the Navy Exchange."

In addition to focusing on nutrition and a healthy weight, another topic of interest was tobacco cessation.
As Tobacco Cessation Program manager, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Mary Frances Sigler turned in a monthly spreadsheet that tracked the daily activities for the month prior - classes, health fairs and appointments - numbers that prove the Wellness Department is reaching staff and beneficiaries. As one of two corpsmen who joined the wellness team in January 2014, Sigler said they aim for at least five patient encounters per day.

"We easily exceeded the five-encounter quota, with a full referral box and multiple programs that were running with the efforts of two nurse educators," Sigler said.

In addition to patient encounters, she counseled tobacco users and weight management patients.
For Sigler, earning the gold star proves that the Wellness Department is effective and changing the command for the better.

"Patients can see this award as recognition for what we are doing and that we are going out of our way to help," Sigler said.

The Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center manages the Blue H recognition program; 342 Navy and Marine Corps active and reserve units received the Blue H Award this year.

For more news from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, visit www.navy.mil/local/NMCP/.