There’s a lot of someones’ in this on-line kitchen
Rodale’s Online Health was launched in July 1997, and since then things have progressed by and large the way Rodale Health Promotions, its Emmaus, PA-based sponsor, had hoped. That’s not to say, however, that there haven’t been any surprises.
"The biggest surprise has been the popularity of the kitchen,’" says Scott Overholt, marketing director for Rodale’s Online Health, referring to the section that provides healthy recipes.
"It’s something we really didn’t anticipate," he admits. "But this section really accomplishes two things: First, it helps busy families find guilt-free alternatives to fast food. The other thing it does — and we probably should have thought of this — is that it helps people follow doctors’ orders."
Almost every bit of health advice you receive from a health care professional is accompanied by some sort of dietary advice, Overholt notes. "However, these diets are often general, vague, and not much fun. If you’re diagnosed with high cholesterol, you think you’ve got to eat rocks and sticks’ all your life."
The on-line kitchen is divided up into special diets — for employees with diabetes, heart problems, and so forth. "You can go right in and find dinner," Overholt notes. "It’s the most popular feature of all."
One thing that hasn’t surprised Overholt is the program’s popularity with wellness professionals. "Most of them have been directed by their superiors to make some use of the Internet," he notes. "They can post their program on the site, their calendar of events — even pictures of staff members."
A product like this also saves wellness professionals a great deal of work. "Let’s say they want to put out information about safe suntanning in the summer," Overholt suggests. "This can be a real ball and chain if you have to play editor. You have to find an article, get permission to use it, and then re-format it. Our resources are updated constantly."
Finally, there’s the cost. "If you provide each employee with an HRA [health risk appraisal], a self-care guide, a monthly newsletter and brochures, it adds up to at least $20 a head. We have it all for about one-third the cost," says Overholt. "It really changes the cost structure of providing health tools for employees."
[Editor’s note: Rodale’s will be upgrading and adding an on-line HRA this summer. To tour their demo site, log on the Internet at www.rodaleonlinehealth.com. Scott Overholt can be reached at: Rodale Health Promotions, 33 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098. Telephone: (610) 967-8497.]
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