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Wellness is Iowa’s new team sport, and some key players are signing on.

Des Moines University, Hy-Vee Inc. and the Iowa Sports Foundation Inc. are among the initial partners in a Wellness Council of Iowa initiative to train wellness coaches throughout the state.

Beginning later this year, DMU will begin training employees at several businesses, among them more than 100 Hy-Vee dietitians, to serve as wellness coaches.

“This really grows out of a strong mutual interest to make Iowa one of the healthiest states,” said William Appelgate, DMU’s vice president for planning and technology. The collaboration emerged from discussions with the Wellness Council about how the organizations could work together to pursue similar goals, he said.

Typically, employees of large companies have access to the types of health screenings, dietary advice and fitness program assistance that a wellness coach can coordinate, he said. “The interest of the Wellness Council is to support those programs, but to also create programs that can serve smaller employers and organizations,” Appelgate said. “Our interest is in developing a cadre of coaches, so that if my organization needs one during the week, they would be accessible.”

Doug Reichardt, chairman of the Iowa Wellness Council, said the organization is negotiating with several other potential partners to expand the initiative.

“The ones we have identified have an interest not only in their employees, but also in the state of Iowa becoming healthier,” he said. “That’s the common denominator.” Reichardt said his next goal is to engage pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and fitness centers to become involved.

The first group of Hy-Vee dietitians could begin training as early as April, said Sheila Laing, the company’s assistant vice president of employee benefits. Groups of 10 to 15 at a time will go through an intensive two-day course with the goal of training all 117 dietitians who work at Hy-Vee stores throughout Iowa.

“We see them as being wellness ambassadors in their communities,” Laing said. “We also see them going to businesses in their communities, as well as to church and school groups and also (to work with) individuals who either come in on their own or are referred by a physician.”

Hy-Vee dietitians already have begun offering some aspects of wellness coaching. Earlier this month, nearly all Hy-Vee stores in Iowa began offering biometric health screenings at their in-store pharmacies, conducted by a dietitian at each location. “So our dietitians are actually able to give you biometric screenings and talk to you about what your results are,” Laing said.

The cost of a screening “depends on what you want done,” and would range from about $25 to $50, Laing said. Charges for other wellness coach services will also vary, depending on their scope, she said. “For instance, if someone wanted a one-on-one plan for a three-month program, there will be fees associated with that.”

At the same time, Hy-Vee employees have begun receiving free health screenings from the in-store dietitians as one of their wellness benefits, Laing said.

Giving more Iowans access to wellness coaches will undoubtedly help them improve their health, said Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Sports Foundation. Formed in 1986, the nonprofit group organizes the annual Iowa Games and the Lighten Up Iowa program.

“It’s kind of a team effort of making Iowa healthier,” Hallihan said. Working with Des Moines University, Lighten Up Iowa surveys participants before, during and after the 100-day program to document their lifestyle and health changes.

“So far, with the ones we’ve done, there has been significant data showing that people are healthier and that they’re eating better,” he said. “And every two weeks following the last program, we sent healthy tips to them by e-mail to keep it in front of them.”

Troy Vincent, director of Live Healthy America, a national program that has emerged out of Lighten Up Iowa, said he hopes to utilize Hy-Vee wellness coaches to reach more people in Iowa. In addition to Iowa, Live Healthy America now has pilot programs in Indianapolis, Dallas and Kansas City and is in its second year in the Twin Cities.

“We all have the same desire to move this forward, and then take this model forward to other states, as we’re already doing,” Vincent said.

Des Moines University has been involved in training care coordinators for several years through its involvement with the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, Appelgate said. That program involves monitoring people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes to better address their health needs and to avoid costly hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

“Now, we’re building that capacity to train people in health and wellness issues,” he said. “The differences are not that great. We’re trying to develop a capacity in an individual to manage their health status and their health risks, kind of their healthy well-being.”

Finding ways to connect with as many people as possible is a central goal of the initiative, Appelgate said.

“The question is: can we partner with businesses and organizations in effective ways so that we engage people? The coaches are being developed to help that process.”