Wellness Edition, Number 2
Plan To Get Healthy
A recent survey of NCMS Plan participating practices indicates that
less than 10% have a wellness program in place. This statistic may not
surprise you, but it does present a significant opportunity for practices
to promote wellness and to translate wellness into lower costs.
Wellness programs start with a solid action plan. One that is
comprehensive in creating a "culture of wellness". With so many
responsibilities, we know that developing an action plan to tackle
wellness and thinking through all the steps can seem next to impossible.
To help, the NCMS Plan has made available a sample Wellness Plan at http://www.medicalmutualgroup.com/mmic/media/pdf/wellness_resources/Sample_Wellness_Plan.pdf.
This Wellness Plan begins with the formation of a Wellness Team.
Promoting wellness should be a team effort, not the responsibility of one
person. Identify key employees, physicians, and executives that should
play a role. For multi-site practices, name a Wellness Ambassador at each
site to help communicate and build enthusiasm for the program.
Obtain leadership support for the program. Ensure that there are
not mixed signals sent to employees about the value of wellness and the
benefits to employees and the practice. Get leaders to not just
communicate their support, but demonstrate it in their actions. Ask them
to participate in weight-loss challenges or walking programs.
Communicate information about wellness on a regular basis. Every
month, send an e-mail, write an article for a newsletter, or post
information on a bulletin board about the various wellness programs
available through the NCMS Plan. Programs like Health Assessments,
BluePoints, Member Health Partnerships, and Online Health Living. Our
office can provide you brochures to help you give your employees more
details. Also, you have access to online video presentations of these
programs at http://www.medicalmutualgroup.com/mmic/employee_benefits/wellness_resources.html
under Wellness Resources Presentation Library that make educating
employees even easier.
Get Free Stuff!
How many of you reading this article right now do at least thirty
minutes of physical activity each day? How many of you receive rewards for
doing so? We already know that you certainly receive the reward of
improved health and wellness by being active. But did you also know you
can receive rewards in the form of gift cards from national retailers and
brand-name merchandise? Well get ready, because the NCMS Plan has some
very exciting news for you! As a participant in the NCMS Plan, you, your
employees and their covered family members are all eligible to enroll in
the all new BluePoints program.
The BluePoints program is
available to you through the NCMS Plan's administrator, Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). BluePoints is an online physical
activity and wellness reward program. You earn points for recording your
physical and wellness activities. You can redeem your points for rewards
of your choice. Points can be accumulated toward higher value rewards or
you can redeem them throughout the year for smaller value rewards. Whether
you choose gift cards, merchandise, or decide to donate your reward to
charity, you will be taking the steps to better health.
So how can
you enroll in the BluePoints program? Log onto http://www.bcbsnc.com/memberservices/
and register if you have not already done so. Once on the Member Services
webpage, look for “Rewards and Discounts” and you will see the link
entitled “Earn rewards for healthy living – BluePoints.” You will then be
directed to the BluePoints Home Page. Click on “Manage your BluePoints.”
You will see various activities listed. By clicking on the Physical
Activity Tracker, you can log your exercise. The Fruit and Vegetable
Tracker allows you to earn points by eating a combination of at least 5
fruits and vegetables each day. Joining Online Healthy Living Programs and
making sure you have your routine preventive care will also help you earn
points. Just by taking the online Health Assessment you can earn 1,000
points! Points equal rewards and you will be amazed at the variety of
rewards you can choose.
When you are ready to redeem your points,
you can browse through the merchandise, charities and gift cards available
to you. You should receive your reward within 10 business days.
So
go ahead and get started! Next time you walk the dog, play tag with your
children or work in the garden, you will be earning rewards for the active
lifestyle you are living. What a great way to start down the path to
health and wellness!
About the North Carolina Medical Society
As the largest physician organization in the state, the North Carolina
Medical Society (NCMS) is devoted to representing the interests of
physicians and protecting the quality of patient care. The NCMS Plan,
sponsored by the NCMS, is the only statewide employee benefits plan
designed specifically for North Carolina physicians.
For more
information about many other benefits of NCMS membership, visit http://www.ncmedsoc.org/. |