CONTRIBUTED

On Wednesday, June 6, NC Prevention Partners announced the winners of its 14th Prevention Excellence awards, which included FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

The awards are presented every year to outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions to making North Carolina a healthier place to live, work and learn. The 2012 ceremony was held at the Carolina Club at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas received the Hospital Prevention Excellence Award for outstanding efforts to promote a healthy environment through tobacco-free campuses and healthy food environment policies.

"One of the best ways to accelerate the pace at which good healthy policies happen is by recognizing and sharing the success stories that make them possible," said Dr. Meg Molloy, NC Prevention Partners president and CEO. "Today's recipients are making it easier for every North Carolinian to make healthy choices, and we are proud to honor their work."

In December 2011, FirstHealth's three hospitals - Moore Regional in Pinehurst, Richmond Mem-orial in Rockingham and Montgomery Memorial in Troy - were acknowledged as Gold Heart Standard Hospitals by NC Prevention Partners for having the highest standard of excellence for tobacco-cessation programs offered to patients.

FirstHealth was the first health system in the state to receive this recognition. It was previously awarded Gold Star recognition for tobacco cessation efforts for employees. The three hospitals also got Gold Apple status for achieving healthy food environments.

Several years ago, Moore Regional implemented a new pricing structure in its cafeteria to increase the price of unhealthy food and beverage choices and decrease the price of healthy food choices, one of many programs started by the hospital to increase healthy eating and physical activity.