Jean Sutherland sits at her desk inside the CareATC® corporate office as a more flexible, happy and healthy 65-year-old woman, who has been inspired by the company’s program, HealthPassport™, to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

"I think this is what everyone has been trying to tell me for a long time," Jean said. "Pay attention to what you’re doing and it will help."

After being with the company for three years, Jean said she thinks CareATC® is on the right path with this new incentive program.

Employees are encouraged to log their nutrition and wellness and physical activity in order to gain points. The more points you earn, the closer you are to gaining paid time off. A monetary incentive is also available to those who either maintain their healthy weight or lose 10 percent of their body fat, based on BMI results. But to Jean, the monetary incentives aren’t what inspire her.

"My husband has been trying to motivate me with money for years," she said. "I think the difference was the competition, the overall spirit of it, and the support."

Since HealthPassport™ launched, Jean has defeated a soda addiction and has had only two diet Pepsis since January. She has also lost 23 pounds, reduced her inflammation, become more flexible, and gained the energy to play with her grandchildren.

As a long-term diabetic Jean found logging her meals and staying between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day helped teach her discipline and increased weight loss. The wellness program has taught her to be more conscious of what she is doing and how it affects her sugar levels. Her ability to cut back on her insulin and blood pressure medicine was a direct result of HealthPassport™.

"I am excited and willing to make better choices," she said. Luckily, she is still able to reward herself with comfort foods and desserts from time-to-time, but has learned it’s all about moderation.

This program has also helped her become a more active and productive person as soon as she wakes up each morning, and after work she avoids coming home and sitting on the couch all night. Jean saw herself as invincible when she was younger, but realized later in life that wasn’t the case and it was time be preventative and make some lifestyle changes.

For the last 10 years, Jean has not been able to wear her wedding rings, but since taking the initiative to live a healthier lifestyle, she is now able to wear the item that makes her the happiest.

"Drinking more water and losing the weight, I can now wear my rings every day," Jean said. "That means the most to me."

Like many employees at CareATC®, Jean has found herself getting in the habit of logging her activities and gets bothered if she forgets to at the end of the day. Jean uses a wearable activity tracker and will take an extra lap to the lobby to ensure she reaches her goal step count. This dedication has inspired her success and she has noticed an incredible difference in her ability to move and walk.

One important tool Jean has used is the Health Education Library in the CareATC® Patient Portal. She rereads the grocery shopping article before every trip to the store so she avoids putting junk food in her basket.

HealthPassport™ was created to produce a more health-conscious work environment, and with the success Jean has achieved so far, it’s safe to say it’s working.

"I think the whole way we do healthcare is expanding more and I think people are getting to know it better,” she said. “When it reaches our clients and their employees, then I think it’s really going to help people."

Her advice to those who are hesitant on developing a new, healthier lifestyle is simple:

"Don’t be stubborn like me and wait so long to wake up. You aren’t invincible — you will be my age one day and you will be happy if you get these good habits now."