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Wellness initiative participation growing

8/22/13

In the month since the launch of Penn State's Take Care of Your Health initiative, roughly 7,900 employees have either completed or scheduled the biometric screening, and about 6,300 have completed the wellness profile. "We are very happy to see the participation rates continuing to climb," said Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources. "I want to emphasize that while a major motivating factor in our health plan changes is cost-savings, equally important to us is the health and well-being of our employees. Good health care is more than paying for illness and treating symptoms. Good health care includes the prevention and management of modifiable risk factors. The wellness profile and biometric screenings create awareness for the employee of potential medical risks, and when you know about your risks you are empowered to address them to keep yourself healthy."

Wellness program participation increases, questions being answered

8/16/13

Employee participation in the "Take Care of Your Health" initiative continues to grow. As of Aug. 12, 6,548 employees have scheduled biometric screenings, filling 47 percent of available appointments. Those who still need to complete the wellness profile or physical exam certification should visit https://www.highmarkblueshield.com/ and then log in and click the "Rewards Program" link.

"We appreciate how many of our employees have been proactive in completing the required steps," said Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources. "At the same time, we understand that employees may be hearing conflicting information about our wellness initiatives, so we want to address their concerns with the most up-to-date information possible.

"Foremost on most people's minds is privacy. I can assure you that the information you provide through the wellness screening is, and will remain, private. WebMD Health Services, which developed and is administering the wellness profile through Highmark Blue Shield, is bound by HIPAA privacy and security laws. Penn State will not -- and by federal health privacy law, cannot -- have access to individual employee health records. We will never ask for an employee’s health records and will not charge an employee additional fees based on their individual health status," Basso said.

WebMD Health Services is one of the leading health and wellness authorities in the country. Like many other national health insurance plans, Highmark determined it was more efficient to partner with WebMD Health Services than to build its own health-related resources like the wellness profile. WebMD Health Services differs from WebMD.com, which operates a separate public website that allows free access to health and wellness information and generates revenue through the sale of advertising on its site. The services and resources offered by WebMD Health Services are purchased by health plans and employer groups and are tailored specifically for protection of sensitive information.

The FAQ found on the Office of Human Resources website at http://ohr.psu.edu/assets/benefits/documents/TakeCareOfHealthFAQs.pdf addresses a number of questions, as does the main website for the initiative at http://ohr.psu.edu/benefits/benefits-enrollment/ online. In addition, click through to the full story for answers to some of the questions asked more recently.

CNAP readies for Food Day celebration on Oct. 24

10/17/12

Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital's Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion (CNAP) will host a Food Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the courtyard outside of the Gateway Cafe on the Penn State Hershey campus. This event will encourage employees and community members to "Eat Real."

Ten to 20 years of extra life can be yours

5/25/11

Find out how to add years to your life from Steven G. Aldana, CEO and founder of WellSteps, an innovative company that promotes employee wellness. Aldana will present "10-20 Years of Extra Life: The Choice is Yours" from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, in the Junker auditorium on the campus of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.

POTD Nittany Lion Inn

Walking maps highlight scenery, history of campus

5/10/11

Thousands stroll the long, tree-covered sidewalks of University Park every day. Campus walking maps developed by the Office of Physical Plant showcase some of the buildings, gardens and trees that make campus one of the nation's most beautiful.

Campus to hold wellness fair

3/23/10

Penn State Lehigh Valley will hold a wellness fair for the campus community from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 8, in the auditorium (room 135) at the campus in Center Valley. A variety of activities and information from local organizations will be available for students.

Clear the Air: tobacco cessation

8/25/09

Clear the Air is the step you take BEFORE deciding to quit tobacco for good. The idea is simple: have a good plan before you quit. Clear the Air empowers you to identify your reasons for quitting tobacco, helps you develop a plan to quit for good and prepares you for the challenging task of life-long tobacco cessation.

This program will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 4 in room 145 of the Thun Building on the Penn State Berks campus. Participants may bring a bagged lunch. This program is free to Highmark BlueShield members, nominal fee for non-members.

Register at http://www.ohr.psu.edu/HealthMatters/home.cfm online.

Wellness program available at Penn State Schuylkill

8/25/09

Eat Well For Life is a lifestyle improvement program that champions optimal health, vitality and long-term weight management through the power of good nutrition. Participants will discover easy meal planning tools, smart shopping strategies and healthy ways to cook great tasting foods. Eat Well For Life offers a new taste of better eating and wellness to last a lifetime.

Program sessions will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursdays beginning Sept. 3 and running through Oct. 8 at the Michael Fryer Conference Center. This program is free to Highmark BlueShield members, nominal fee for non-members.

Register at http://www.ohr.psu.edu/HealthMatters/home.cfm online.

Wellness program available at Penn State Harrisburg

8/25/09

Eat Well For Life is a lifestyle improvement program that champions optimal health, vitality and long-term weight management through the power of good nutrition. Participants will discover easy meal planning tools, smart shopping strategies and healthy ways to cook great tasting foods. Eat Well For Life offers a new taste of better eating and wellness to last a lifetime.

Program sessions will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning Sept. 8 and running through Oct. 13. This program is free to Highmark BlueShield members, nominal fee for non-members.

Register at http://www.ohr.psu.edu/HealthMatters/home.cfm online.

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Thousands think healthy at wellness fair

4/27/09

Thousands of Penn State employees sipped, tasted, stretched, played, talked, ran and learned last Wednesday (April 22) at the inaugural Healthier U Wellness Fair in the Bryce Jordan Center. The April 22 event was organized by Finance and Business' Focus on People Key Initiative and stayed open from noon until 8 p.m. to help cater to all schedules. The fair featured 27 regional and local health groups and vendors that offered a large variety of information on exercise, healthy eating and general wellness.