Employees Get Scoop on New Program to Help Them Stay Healthy

Ioana Patringenaru | March 3, 2008

Holly Scholl, an account manager for StayWell Health Management, discussed the StayWell program Tuesday at the Price Center.

Click here to learn more about UC
wellness programs, including StayWell.

How can I get advice to lose weight and become healthier? What free services do I have access to? Will my health information remain confidential?

These were some of the questions that a few dozen UCSD employees asked about the new UC-wide StayWell program Tuesday at the Price Center. Holly Scholl, an account manager for StayWell Health Management, the company that runs the program, tried to give them answers. The program allows eligible employees and their dependents to take assessment tests, then take action to address health problems, she said.

“We’re really excited for everybody to participate and get motivated to improve their health,” Scholl said.

The health assessment is designed to help employees make better decisions and find out what areas they need to work on, she added. During her hour-long talk, she also often sought to reassure employees that their information would remain private. “We never share your individual results with your university — ever,” she said.

StayWell will only provide the university with aggregate, anonymous data, showing, for example, how many employees smoke, she said. Employees decide whether or not to share their data with their health plan, Scholl also said. StayWell strictly follows federal privacy laws, she added later.

Employees who take the assessment can then enroll in the NextSteps program. That program is designed to target their problem areas, such as stress, blood pressure or cholesterol. They can get help online, by mail or by phone. Scholl encouraged her audience to use the latter, which pairs each employee with a coach. Over eight weeks, employees receive three calls from their coach, to discuss their health goals and how to reach them. Then they receive two follow-up calls to see how they’re progressing, Scholl said. The service is free as part of UC’s benefits package, she added.

Eligible employees also have access to a wide range of resources on StayWell’s Web site, including news feeds, a personalized toolbox and a quarterly newsletter.

Scholl also fielded questions about who is eligible for the program. Employees enrolled in Kaiser Permanente health plans are not, she said. So far, most unions representing UC employees have opted out of the program, according to the Office of the President.

After the talk, Valerie Kurth, a staff member in Auxiliary Plant & Services, said she was reassured about her privacy and would now take the StayWell assessment.