Audi Brussels: fit and healthy for the future

Brussels, – In the event of a sudden, severe headache or twisted ankle, it’s helpful to have a doctor right around the corner, ready to provide assistance. That is just the case at Audi Brussels, where employees can visit a doctor in the on-site Health Center for treatment at any time. The completely renovated healthcare facility in Brussels opened its door to patients this spring with modern furnishings, more spacious rooms and state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Treatment at the Health Center is not limited to headaches, more serious illnesses or accidents, however. Emergency care is just a small part of the extensive scope of Audi’s healthcare system. “Besides providing routine examinations, we take a holistic approach to health,” explains Dr. Marc Watté, an occupational health physician at Audi Brussels. “Our long-term goal is preventing all accidents in the workplace and helping our employees lead healthier work lives. Thanks to our
state-of-the-art equipment, we are able to provide high-quality medical services in the process.”

Two full-time doctors, assisted by two nurses and an orderly, are available to take care of the
2,200 employees at the modernized Audi Brussels Health Center. The facility is open from
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all production days. The center also houses a first-aid station to ensure that emergency assistance can be provided on site at any time.

The Audi healthcare system does more than just provide the regular employee check-ups required by law in Belgium, it seeks to identify health risks early on and boost employees’ motivation to protect their health. The goal is to permanently establish working conditions that prevent physical problems and illnesses from developing in the first place. One measure used to accomplish this is the evaluation and design of workplaces in accordance with ergonomic criteria. In addition, ongoing campaigns provide employees with health-related information, sensitize them to health issues and motivate them to become more health conscious. The current focus in 2010, for example, is on an anti-smoking campaign.

The Audi Checkup is a major prevention milestone. Successfully implemented at German sites since 2006, this extensive prevention program is being gradually introduced at Audi Brussels from April onwards. Participation is voluntary. Employees who chose to take part are given a thorough examination by a specially appointed doctor. Employees are invited to take part in this health checkup every five years until age 45, after which the intervals are reduced to every three years and an ECG is included. The results of the examination stay in the Audi healthcare system; the doctor is subject to confidentiality requirements.

The goal of the Audi Checkup is to preserve and promote employee health as well as to identify potential risk factors early on and work to actively combat them. In addition to vision and hearing tests, the doctor also checks lung function and performs an analysis to measure weight and percentage of water, muscle and fat in the body. In the final step, the doctor discusses all results with the employee, recommends suitable fitness programs and offers additional advice on how to promote good health. The most important results of the examination are summarized in an employee-specific “health profile” that can be used for later comparison with other check-ups.