The Health Improvement Program, more popularly
referred to as HIP, began over 30 years ago with the creation the Stanford Prevention
Research Center (SPRC). John W. Farquhar, M.D. received a large grant and focused
his work on the health improvement of entire communities. This research established
SPRC as a premier research organization.
A few years later, research was beginning to show that worksite health and
wellness programs could effectively impact the health of employees. Stanford President,
Don Kennedy and John W. Farquhar believed the university should take advantage
of its own intellectual property and created the Health Improvement Program in
1983.
Since its creation, HIP has advanced the science of health promotion on-campus,
in the local community, across the United States and around the world. HIP's educational
programs and materials have benefited millions of people while serving Stanford
University, the Stanford Prevention Research Center, and the School of Medicine.
25 Years of Contributing to Stanford
Over the last 25 years, HIP has reached reach faculty and staff in many important
ways:
| 1. |
HIP
initiated and directed efforts to ban smoking at Stanford Hospital, the football
stadium and basketball stadium. |
| 2. |
HIP
worked with the Faculty Club to offer heart healthy food choices, to identify
those choices on the menu, and to list the calories for each item on the menu. |
| 3. |
After
the 1989 earthquake, HIP brought together the HELP Center and Environmental Health
and Safety to deliver programs for the community. |
| 4. |
When
stress claims became the leading cause of Workers Compensations claims in the
1990's, HIP developed a variety of stress management classes. |
| 5. |
HIP
brought bilingual screening and education programs directly to departments with
less scheduling flexibility such as Operations and Maintenance (O&M), Stores,
and Housing and Food Service. |
| 6. |
In
response to the escalating retiree health care cost in the early 1990's, HIP created
an educational program for retirees. |
| 7. |
HIP
has responded departmental requests for help with specific issues impacting health,
productivity, absenteeism, and morale. |
| 8. |
HIP
has been the first lecture on the agenda for the Graduate School of Business'
Summer Executive Program for over 15 years. |
| 9. |
HIP
established a "model work center" and implemented a wide variety of
office ergonomic programs for faculty and staff. |
| 10. |
In
2008, HIP developed and implemented a Stretch & Flex program for the managers,
administrative staff, technicians and custodians of the Stanford Student Housing
Department. |
Complete History of HIP »
