CARY, NC (September 24, 2013) – State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, is leading by example when it comes to promoting workplace wellness and encouraging healthier behavior. The CEO Roundtable on Cancer has awarded SUNY Upstate with CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM accreditation for its efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings, and ensuring access to quality treatment.
“We are pleased to recognize the efforts of SUNY Upstate Medical University and their dedication to health care that begins with improving the health and wellness of their own employees,” said Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi and chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.
“An academic medical center leads by example, and ensuring that our employees and their families have the knowledge, opportunities and encouragement to lead healthy lifestyles, especially when it relates to cancer, enhances the care we offer our patients,” said David R. Smith, MD, president of Upstate Medical University.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading nonprofit, health organizations. The Gold Standard calls for companies to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to reduce the risk of cancer in the workplace.
To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy diet and nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials. Today, over four million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of the over 150 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.
Upstate has developed numerous initiatives to demonstrate its commitment to building a healthy workplace, especially as it relates to cancer. In 2005 SUNY Upstate became the first of 64 SUNY campuses to be completely smoke-free. Upstate is currently building a $75 million cancer center that will house the academic medical center’s outpatient cancer services and be home to a full range of cancer services and treatments, including Gamma Knife, Vero SBRT and IMRT. Upstate records more than 112,000 patient visits annually for cancer treatment services.
In addition to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fifteen NCI-designated cancer centers and over forty other hospitals and medical centers have earned Gold Standard accreditation. CEOs from across industries are keenly aware of the tremendous impact they can have in improving health, controlling health care costs and making a difference beyond their organization’s walls in the effort to address cancer and other chronic diseases. Other Gold Standard employers include insurers like Aetna, Cigna, State Farm and several Blue Cross affiliates; law firms, such as Hogan Lovells and Jenner + Block; technology companies such as Dell and SAS Institute; and a range of leading employers including American Century Investments, Johnson & Johnson and Lowe’s.
About SUNY Upstate Medical University
The region’s largest employer with nearly 9,000 employees, Upstate Medical University is the only academic medical center in Central New York, serving 1.8 million people in the state from Canada to Pennsylvania with its educational, clinical and research missions.
A highlight of Upstate’s leading role in the region is its ability to ensure access to vital one-of-a-kind services, such as burn and trauma care and an array of highly specialized stroke, cancer and neurosurgical and pediatric services through its 715-bed Upstate University Hospital, which includes the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.
In addition to its clinical mission, Upstate, which is one of the State University of New York (SUNY)’s 64 campuses enrolls 1,600 students and offers degrees in medicine, nursing and a variety of health professions, and conducts more than $40 million in funded research.
About The CEO Roundtable on Cancer
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to “do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families.” The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to address cancer in the workplace. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.
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For more information:
CEO Roundtable on Cancer
Therese Martin, Project Assistant
P: 919-531-3123