About Will Clower, MD, Founder and CEO
Dr. Will Clower is the founder & CEO of Mediterranean Wellness and works with companies to improve the well-being of their employees by providing the tools they need to incorporate healthy behaviors into their daily lives.
Dr. Clower is also an award winning author who applies his neuroscience doctorate to create the programs that help our own culture enjoy this lifestyle in a way that leads to lower weight, healthier hearts, and longer lives.
After sailing 18,000 miles across two oceans, the covid pandemic pinned him and his family down in New Zealand where he secured a position in the faculty at the Victoria University in Wellington to help create the Wellness@Work hub. This international group combines academic research with program delivery to improve the health of the workplace. In addition, he is a Wellness Ambassador to help “improve the way we deliver care” in New Zealand.
By bridging the US and Kiwi cultures and best practices, Dr. Clower opens a window to a truly unique perspective that can leverage the best possible solutions for both.
About Mediterranean Wellness
Since 2003, Mediterranean Wellness has provided a full wellness portal for client companies, brokers, and resellers. The content is comprehensive and built to easily adapt to the needs of every client.
Customer service is not just what we do, it’s who we are. Let us show you what it is like to have the full attention of your vendor, even after the contract is signed.
The underlying philosophy of all our work extends from the principles of the Mediterranean approach to nutrition, diet, stress, and activity. This content is based on the published works of founder Dr. Will Clower and woven into the fabric of every program you receive with us. Visit https://www.mymedwellness.com/
Medical Travel & Digital Health News (MTDHN): Tell us about Mediterranean Wellness and your role in the organization.
Will Clower (WC): I founded Mediterranean Wellness in 2003 to address a need in the corporate wellness space for solutions that promote a healthy culture. Our goal is to apply effective wellness strategies in a way that benefits our community. As the CEO, I set the strategy and growth boundaries for the company. In the early days, I wore many hats, handling various aspects of the business as we grew. Now, my primary focus is on guiding the company’s direction and ensuring we stay true to our mission.
MTDHN: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. How did you get interested in this field?
WC: I have a background in neuroscience and neurophysiology, having earned my doctorate from Emory University. I then conducted brain research in France at the Institute of Cognitive Sciences in Lyon. There, I observed the healthy lifestyle and eating habits of the locals, which intrigued me as a behavioral neuroscientist. I wrote a book based on these observations, which was published by Random House. Upon returning to the U.S. and working at the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, I was asked to develop wellness programs based on my research. This led to the creation of Mediterranean Wellness in 2003, as I felt I could make a significant impact by promoting wellness rather than just conducting research.
MTDHN: How does your company support employers and advance their wellness initiatives?
WC: We provide flexible wellness solutions tailored to the unique needs of each employer. Our platform offers wellbeing programs based on the Mediterranean lifestyle and biometric-based programs where employees get health screenings and assessments. Most employers prefer a blend of both approaches, which we customize to fit their needs. Additionally, we offer predictive analytics to track spending and the impact of wellness programs and we support disease management by helping high-risk individuals improve their health through targeted interventions.
MTDHN: Tell us about the Mediterranean lifestyle diet and its benefits.
WC: The Mediterranean lifestyle isn’t a diet but a cultural approach to food and living. It emphasizes the quality and enjoyment of food, integrating healthy eating habits into daily life. This approach has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a cultural treasure. We adapt these principles to suit American lifestyles, promoting healthy eating and living habits that lead to better health outcomes.
MTDHN: What kind of programs does your platform offer?
WC: Our platform delivers a variety of wellness education programs, including webinars, live cooking demos and interactive challenges focusing on nutrition, weight management, mindfulness and activity. We also provide biometric screenings and simplify the presentation of health data. Our platform includes tools like the heart age calculator, which motivates users by showing how lifestyle changes can improve their health.
MTDHN: How do employers work with Mediterranean Wellness? Do they have to buy the whole platform?
WC: Employers don’t have to purchase the entire platform. We customize our offerings based on their specific needs. We start by understanding where they are and where they want to be, then map a path to achieve those goals. Employers can start with specific components like wellness education and add other elements like biometric screenings and disease management over time.
MTDHN: Are your solutions suitable for companies of any size?
WC: Yes, our platform scales to accommodate any company size, from 50 to 50,000 employees and can be adapted to different languages and cultures. We designed it to be scalable and serve a wide range of organizations.
MTDHN: How does Mediterranean Wellness enhance the fiduciary responsibility of employers?
WC: By leveraging our system, employers can create conditions that lead to optimal employee health, fostering a culture of wellness. This engagement with wellness programs helps improve the overall health of employees, making them more likely to utilize provided benefits, which enhances the company’s fiduciary responsibility towards their well-being.
MTDHN: How does Mediterranean Wellness engage employees and ensure adherence to wellness programs?
WC: We use a comprehensive communications platform that includes text, email and onsite notifications to remind employees of important deadlines and activities. Our incentive management system, called Mojo Points, rewards employees for engaging with wellness programs. Additionally, we customize programs to meet individual needs, which increases engagement by making employees feel personally addressed rather than just part of a large group.
MTDHN: Can you share some success stories from different workplace scenarios?
WC: Engagement in wellness programs often correlates with workplace culture. For example, a small regional cable company with a strong, family-friendly culture achieved an 80% engagement rate. In a global manufacturing company, our programs significantly improved diabetes management, reducing A1C levels and saving lives. Another example is our ability to close care gaps by reminding employees about necessary health screenings and tests, which have a significant impact on their health.
MTDHN: Is Mediterranean Wellness a disease management company or a wellness platform?
WC: We can function as either, depending on the employer’s needs. We offer both wellbeing programs and disease management programs and these can be integrated together or provided separately. Our goal is to deliver the specific programs that each client requires.
MTDHN: Do employers have to wait for open enrollment to start working with Mediterranean Wellness?
WC: No, employers can engage with Mediterranean Wellness at any time of the year. We are not tied to the open enrollment process and are ready to start whenever the employer is.
MTDHN: Do you have plans for future expansion?
WC: We continuously improve our outreach, reporting, outcomes, communication and integration capabilities. We’ve maintained high client retention rates by consistently delivering value and have never needed external funding. We also work internationally and I’m particularly excited about our wellbeing at work initiatives, which aims to make a significant impact on employee health globally.