Page 47 - HCPVitalityChronicles

Vivian Matiossian Uses Knowledge as a Dietitian in Her Role as Vitality Champ

Vivian Matiossian, Registered Dietitian, HCP employees who did a 5K Walk
Certified Diabetes Educator, HCP Arcadia, for Diabetes, raising $3,000 for the
has a nearly 20-year history with the American Diabetes Foundation. At
company. During this time, she has put the site, she has also helped put to-
together numerous programs to help em- gether various group exercise series,
ployees improve their overall health and offering employees yoga, Zumba or
well-being. So it was a natural that when pilates classes either during lunch or
the Vitality wellness program was first of- immediately after work.
fered to HCP employees three years ago,
she was on board to help out. Vivian Matiossian enjoys sharing her knowledge The first and most critical step is still
as a dietitian with fellow Vitality members. getting people to sign up. In addition
Initially, Matiossian served as Region 1 to emphasizing the ability to earn Vi-
lead Vitality champ. As the program grew and champs tality points, Matiossian points out to employees that if
were needed at all sites, she became the Vitality champ at they are going to the doctor for routine exams anyway,
the HCP Arcadia site. She credits the team spirit of the cur- they may as well be rewarded for it as well. “Because I am
rent core group of Vitality champs in Arcadia who have a dietitian, if they get their lab reports back and they need
helped to enhance participation in the program since to lower their cholesterol or blood sugar, I can give them
2012: Maria Elena Cortez, Beatriz Morales and Pedro Vil- additional help with that,” Matiossian said.
lanueva Lopez. She also credits Maise Hang and Vanessa
Gorski from Employee & Clinician Services who have She loves hearing stories of people who do improve their
helped her to organize various Vitality events such as fit- lab results over time. “You can take small steps to be
ness assessments, 3K walks as well as helping employees healthier,” Matiossian said. “Small steps now will lead to
sign up with the program. big steps in the end.”

Throughout her tenure as a champ, she has used her skills This year she hopes to increase participation, particularly
and knowledge as a dietitian to help advance the program. among physicians, in the program. In the past, she has or-
For two years, as part of the Vitality program, she helped ganized raffles for site-wide contests to get employees to
to organize monthly lunch-and-learns, where employees sign up with Vitality. In addition to offering prizes such as
learned about nutritional topics and had the chance to lis- movie tickets, gift cards and a parking spot right in front of
ten to a variety of guest speakers, including physicians, the building, Matiossian has used her own skills to create
acupuncturists and exercise physiologists. These sessions baskets with the themes of weight loss survival kit and dia-
included a healthy lunch plus a recipe. “The employees re- betes survival kit.
ally loved this,” Matiossian noted, thanking HCP Arcadia
site administrator Charles Limon for funding these events. “I want to try to continue to find innovative ways to get
people to participate,” Matiossian said. “If you take care of
She fondly remembered her first big event during her first your health now, you do not have to regret it later.”
year as a Vitality champ, when she organized a team of

All information in the Vitality program is HIPAA protected.
Members have chosen to share their personal health accomplishments.
For more information about the Vitality program, visit www.powerofvitality.com or contact Janet Galli.