Columbus Community Hospital’s Operation Overhaul 2.0 program is making a real difference in the health of local companies’ workers.

CCH is a 25-bed acute care hospital located in Columbus. It employs over 300 workers, along with a network of about 100 volunteers helping in other areas. The hospital puts on this program in partnership with nearby businesses, providing options for physical activities and learning experiences all in hopes of nudging their workers toward healthier lifestyles.

The program, administered by on-site CCH staff, takes a preventative approach to keep more expensive health issues from cropping up down the road. In the long run, programs like these can help to reduce the strain on businesses’ health care budgets, according to Ann Roundy, vice president of employee services at CCH.

While the program aims to push back on Columbia County’s elevated rate of obesity — nearly 35 percent in 2015, compared to the statewide rate of around 30 percent — its ultimate goal is to enact long-term health and wellness changes, Roundy says.

But making these decisions to upend decades-old habits doesn’t just happen overnight. That’s why the program is spread out into four month-long intensive periods in which CCH aims to get at some of the core pillars of wellness: physical activity, overall body weight, nutrition and good lifestyle habits.

These healthy habits can range from better management of stress and anxiety to getting enough sleep, as well as exercising regularly and even being smart about finances. Read the full story here.