DALLAS, TX and FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 24, 2010) — U.S. Preventive Medicine® and Washington Regional Medical Center, together with Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic and Kids for Health, today introduced an initiative to deliver preventive health care services to northwest Arkansas. This community-wide wellness initiative aims to save lives and money by keeping Arkansans healthy and treating chronic illnesses before they progress.

Five diseases cause 70 percent of all U.S. deaths annually—heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. Arkansans suffer from chronic diseases at a rate higher than the national average. Adopting healthy behaviors, like avoiding smoking, exercising, eating well and obtaining necessary health screenings, significantly lowers the risk for developing chronic disease.

Bill Bradley, President and CEO of Washington Regional, said, “While Washington Regional is best known for providing high quality medical treatments, keeping people healthy is just as important as treating disease. By partnering with U.S. Preventive Medicine, Washington Regional can expand its community outreach and help the people of northwest Arkansas live longer, healthier lives.

The program will be offered to Washington Regional employees beginning today. Washington Regional and the Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic will also begin offering the program to businesses throughout Northwest Arkansas. Additionally, Kids for Health will partner with U.S. Preventive Medicine to offer The Prevention Plan for Kids™ a specially-designed children’s program focused on reducing childhood obesity, Type II diabetes, depression and heart disease. The children’s program is currently in development and scheduled for release later this year.

“Everyone—from a small child to a large corporation and even an entire country—can benefit from preventive health care,” said Christopher Fey, chairman and CEO of U.S. Preventive Medicine. “Implementing preventive medicine nationwide would save our country $1.1 trillion annually by 2023 and reduce chronic disease cases by 40 million. By promoting preventive health care for individuals, families and businesses, Arkansas can lead the nation toward a culture of physical and fiscal health.”

View the entire kickoff program including keynote speech by Governor Tommy Thompson