SAN DIEGO, Aug. 9, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- San Diego-based American Specialty Health (ASH) has announced that it will offer wellness consulting as part of its disease management and coaching programs available through ASH subsidiary Healthyroads, Inc.
ASH wellness consulting services are designed to help employers simplify the process for introducing and implementing a wellness program to their employees. ASH's wellness consultants meet with employer clients initially, and then on a regular basis, to develop and implement successful strategies that drive participation and help employers achieve their wellness goals. Their ongoing meetings with staff focus on understanding the needs of each employer group; coordinating employee outreach calls, health fairs, and onsite wellness programs; devising employee communications and incentive programs; and monitoring the awareness and utilization of the program by employees with ongoing reports.
"We're excited that employer groups will be able to utilize our consulting services to introduce Healthyroads wellness programs to the workplace," said George DeVries, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of ASH. "We strongly believe creating a culture of wellness will motivate and engage employees to sustain behavior changes that will positively affect one's overall health."
To create excitement for participation in Healthyroads coaching programs, employers are highly encouraged to take advantage of all Healthyroads' rewards and awards programs. For example, employers may offer their employees Healthyroads' "Walk the Talk Challenge." Each employee -- after completing three coaching sessions with a Healthyroads educator -- receives a pedometer from Healthyroads that tracks how many miles the employee walks over a period of time. The employer awards prizes to the employees who walked the most miles.
Healthyroads offers a wide range of employee communications that can be coordinated by an ASH wellness consultant, including targeted e-mails, posters, payroll stuffers, and monthly e-newsletters. Members of Healthyroads coaching programs will automatically receive a welcome packet, kick-off and ongoing motivational telephone sessions with wellness coaches (consisting of dietitians, certified personal trainers, and other health educators); a health status questionnaire; and other educational materials. Additional buy-up options for members, paid for by the employer, are also available.
Healthyroads is ASH's wellness, health education, and e-commerce subsidiary, offering award-winning weight management, tobacco cessation, and healthy living programs.
Healthyroads, Inc. offers wellness programs and other tools to help health plan and employer group members get in shape, eat healthier, and achieve positive lifestyle habits. Healthyroads also provides members with discounts on more than 2,400 health and wellness products that can be purchased online through Healthyroads.com(r).
ASH is the nation's largest specialty benefits organization for complementary health care measured in terms of annual revenues, members/insureds, employees, and contracted health plans. ASH administers benefit programs for 12 million members; affinity discount programs for over 80 million members; and telephone-based health and wellness programs for over 500,000 members nationwide. ASH has more than 550 employees at its San Diego headquarters and regional sales offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Philadelphia, and 15 other cities.
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