Children's Hospitals Today - Spring 2018 - 7

INNOVATION / ROUNDS

child who doesn't go to a Let's Go! school."
Rogers says obesity rates in Maine are
leveling off faster than national rates.
"This is proof a multi-setting model like
Let's Go! is working," she says.
What started 14 years ago as a philanthropically funded project for kids is
now 75 percent funded by MaineHealth,
the system the children's hospital belongs to, and has expanded into the
adult population. "It became clear we
needed to address the adults so they can
support the kids," Rogers says. "There
was a demand to do it, and it made sense
for our program because we know parental behavior affects kids' behavior."
But the original 5-2-1-0 message was
not sophisticated enough for adults. So

Rogers and her team tailored the messaging: Drink Water, Move More, Eat
Real, and Rest Up. The messaging was
piloted in six primary care practices
in 2016, and the reaction was positive.
"We found providers liked it, staff liked
it, and we surveyed patients, and they
liked their doctor talking about it,"
she says. "And previously, they weren't
talking about weight, they only talked
about things like diabetes once a patient got diabetes."
The program is also rolling out within
the MaineHealth System with the aim
of improving workplace wellness. The
program includes messaging around
getting up and walking every 60 minutes, conducting walking meetings, and

Peace of Mind.
That's why
we're here.

making smart decisions in the cafeteria.
The next phase of Let's Go!, Rogers
says, will be to continue to do the work as
deeply as possible in all of the sites. "We've
been concerned about sustainability," she
says. "We work with nearly 1,400 sites,
and I travel the state a lot. But we're in it
for the long haul." Rogers says this work
provides children's hospitals an opportunity to stand up for a major issue for kids,
without the stigma or bias. "We need to
lead. This is an opportunity for children's
hospitals to lead in the effort around obesity prevention and treatment. Our voice
is powerful as physicians-we can use
our efforts to lift up kids."
Share your hospital's innovation. Email
magazine@childrenshospitals.org.

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CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL S TODAY Spring 2018

7
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