CSX's Commitment to Employee Health Garners Award

Representatives from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and Pfizer presented an award to CSX for its high quality workplace tobacco cessation program.

CSX is dedicated to improving the overall health and well-being of its employees. In addition to Health and Wellness centers, screening programs and fitness education, CSX's Health and Wellness Department also administers a nicotine cessation program which was recently cited by the NCQA as a model for success.

The NCQA is a private organization dedicated to improving health care, committed to providing quality information so people can make informed health care choices, and a provider of health care certification and recognition programs.

CSX's nicotine cessation program rolled out in 2007 with a pilot program aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The program is available to all CSX employees through the company's internal website. It provides cessation coaching, medication support and a toolkit to help back up the tobacco user's efforts. It involves the smoker's family physician throughout the process.

The NCQA features CSX's tobacco cessation program as a national model in its Leadership Series of presentations to business audiences around the nation. The NCQA has reported that productivity losses from smoking and associated health problems amount to $167 billion annually.

Of the CSX employees who have tried the nicotine cessation program, 25 percent have completed the course and remain smoke free. That level of success was achieved, said the NCQA and Pfizer representatives, because of the demonstrated commitment to employee health and well being from the top down and through resources available to all employees who want to quit using tobacco products.

"This is a true team approach" at CSX, said Scott Harbin for the NCQA. "This smoking cessation campaign will have a positive impact on the community and other companies."

Shown from left to right in the photo are Pfizer representatives Judy McManus, Jeff Haushalter and Lihn Terriet; NCQA Representative Scott Harbin presenting the award to Health & Wellness Director Ken Glover; CSX Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tom Neilson, and Ellen Fitzsimmons, senior vice president-Law and Public Affairs, the senior executive with responsibility for the CSX Medical and Health and Wellness departments.