American Specialty Health Named Winner in the 4th Annual Edington CBIZ Next Practice Awards
(PRWEB) August 04, 2016 -- American Specialty Health(ASH), one of the nation’s premier independent and privately owned specialty health services organizations, has been recognized as a winner in the 4th Annual Edington CBIZ Next Practice Awards, presented by CBIZ Employee Services Organization, a division of CBIZ Inc., in conjunction with Edington Associates LLC. This awards program identifies companies that are using innovative wellbeing practices and programs to cultivate a high-performing culture.
The Edington CBIZ Next Practice Award nominees were considered based on the following five core pillars: Senior Leadership, Operational Leadership, Self-Leadership, Recognition and Rewards and Quality Assurance. The panel of judges was comprised of 20 experts in the wellbeing and human resources field. Judges were asked to recognize the organizations that were most engaged in innovative and creative wellbeing initiatives.
ASH was recognized among the Pillar III winners for Self-Leadership, giving its employees the motivation, tools and opportunity to take steps for healthier living. Keys to the success of ASH’s wellbeing program, which is provided through Healthyroads, the wellness subsidiary of ASH, include:
• The wellness program is offered at no cost to all employees and their spouse/domestic partners, including telephone lifestyle and health coaching, a wellness website, incentive programs, such as cash incentives and insurance premium discounts, wireless activity tracking technology, biometric services, and more. The program is integrated with ASH's condition management (DM) and EAP programs.
• A Wellness Committee comprised of employees produces fun, team-based worksite health challenges, including exercise challenges, a holiday weight maintenance challenge, relaxation challenges for managing stress, and others.
• Worksite education programs address healthy eating, stress management, and physical activity, and host yearly onsite biometric screenings to provide employees with vital health statistics. Employees on most campuses have access to a relaxation room, employee lounge with TVs and computers, an exercise center/yoga room featuring stationary bikes and mats/balls, a fitness center featuring state-of-the-art exercise equipment, and sports equipment to use in a nearby outdoor park.
• Ongoing inspirational and motivational communications are sent through multiple channels, including: posters and fliers, flat screen TVs, postings on the company Intranet, program discussions at all-staff meetings, social media messaging and blogs, the Healthyroads web portal, lunch and learn programs, e-learning courses, promotion of success stories on company websites, and awards programs.
• An annual Get Healthy! Award is presented to the employee who made the most improvement in healthy living. The person is recognized at an annual corporate awards ceremony and is awarded $250, a desktop award, and a corporate shirt.
As a result of ASH's commitment to a culture of health:
■ More than 90% of eligible employees use a wearable activity monitor to track steps and/or physical activity through the Healthyroads® program.
■ 52% of employees participated in a Personal Health Assessment in 2015.
■ 39% of employees participated in biometric screenings in 2015
■ Month-over-month, at least 60% of all eligible employees meet ASH's first-level fitness goal (75,000 steps a month).
In surveys with its employees, ASH saw increased levels of physical activity, reduced levels of presenteeism and a reduction in depressive symptoms between 2014 and 2015, compared to benchmarks.
“Our ASH mission – to empower individuals to live healthier and longer – applies as much to our employee culture as it does to the clients we serve,” said ASH CEO and Chairman George DeVries. “ASH truly walks the talk of healthy living with our 1300+ employees and their spouses and partners, which helps us understand the challenges of corporate wellness and enables us to innovate through our own day-to-day experience.”
“Wellbeing’s place within all industries will continue to advance as companies seek to improve the culture of their organizations and the lives of their workers,” says Emily Noll, National Director of CBIZ Wellbeing Solutions. “We are excited to acknowledge this year’s nominees, honorees and winners, as we believe their efforts will have a lasting impact on employers and employees alike.”
Applicants were first required to complete a pre-qualification survey, which assesses progress across each of the five pillars. The organizations that met the pre-qualification threshold were then invited to complete the award application, which required a description of the organization’s wellbeing initiative, participation and engagement across the workforce.
About American Specialty Health
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is one of the nation’s premier independent and privately owned specialty health services organizations, providing specialty health provider networks and administration, fitness and exercise programs, and population health solutions for health plans, insurance carriers and employer groups. ASH contracts with more than 140 health plans nationally, and administers programs for nearly 38 million members. Operating from offices in San Diego, Calif., Southlake (Dallas), Texas, Carmel (Indianapolis), Ind., and Columbia, S.C., ASH has more than 1,300 employees. Additional products offered through ASH and its subsidiaries include Healthyroads®, FitnessCoach®, Active&Fit®, Silver&Fit®, ExerciseRewardsTM and others. For more information about ASH, visit http://www.ashcompanies.com or call 800-848-3555. Follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter at @ASHCompanies.
Lisa Freeman, American Specialty Health Incorporated, http://www.ashcompanies.com/, +1 (310) 422-9200, [email protected]
Share this article