BEAT
MAR2015
CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
MAKING WISHES COME TRUE It’s never too late to do something new
SUN, SMILES & SALES A New Zealand Care Home’s winning formula
HEALTHY HOPES & DREAMS The benefits of our medical visa service
MESSAGES
ICAL BUPA OPT entive, very ‘Readily att quick and professional, y ation, I reall smooth oper at experience enjoyed my l!’ Bupa Optica
HEALTH INSURAN CE ‘Bupa have been very reliable an d have be en there wh en I neede d support and help with my healthcare .’ BUPA MEDICAL VISA SERVICES ‘The flow of things ran smoothly, your staff are very very friendly and the experience was not stressful at all.’
DICAL BUPA ME RVICES VISA SE l and helpfu l u f e c a e p ‘Very Staff are . t n e m n o ir env Explanation . t s e b s it at . Excellent t in o p in p is tion.’ communica
BUPA C ARE SE RVICES ‘Friendly, NZ supportive , c ompetent staff - li , ca k environme e walking into a f ring amily nt. Clean smell of profession place and alism wit h care.’ TH BUPA HEAL BUPA CARE SER DIALOG VICES AU nt lle xce ‘The staff were kin ‘It’s such an e d, k c ba n gotte co e ns v id I’ er . at e, am r ge nt og le and pr and I take g in un k de al rs w ta nd to in g.’ in otivating my coach’s m e.’ words with m HEALTH INSURA NCE ‘For the who 57 years le of the t been an M hat I have BF and B UPA MEMBE R I have ha nothing b ut satisfa d ction and suppo rt with my healthcar e with n o problems.’
L ENTA D A P BU was tist I n e d a most as ‘The s a w ew d by treate oung man. H tful, sive y espec impres ourteous, r g and c n 100% ly, welcomi . friend etent +++ ise.’ w comp as like w t n sista His as
BUPA CARE SER VICES NZ ‘The exceptional com munication and care of our father has im pressed me and our whanau/friends. You need to be commen ded on the high level of staff you have. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.’
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MAGIC MOMENTS Experiencing things for the first time can happen at anytime in your life - just ask the residents at Bupa Aged Care Windsor in Melbourne
BEAT
CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
MAR2015
IN THIS ISSUE
A WINNING FORMULA A New Zealand Care Home’s success story after facing a 30% vacancy rate caused by a once-in-a-generation turnover of residents and new apartments to sell
MAKING WISHES COME TRUE It’s never too late to do something new
SUN, SMILES & SALES A New Zealand Care Home’s winning formula
HEALTHY HOPES Since Bupa Medical Visa Services opened in July 2014, it has been providing more than just health assessments for people applying for Australian visas
HEALTHY HOPES & DREAMS The benefits of our medical visa service
CONTENTS 7
A DAY IN THE LIFE
16 A HEALTHY HABIT
8
EVERYDAY HERO
17 SUSTAINABILITY
9
HEALTH & WELLBEING
17 BUPA BLOOPER
12 ONE BUPA
18 BUPA BEGINNINGS
14 THE HEALTH & CARE PARTNER PEOPLE WANT
19 BUPA DOCTOR 22 RHYTHMS
Our cover: Dianne Bell, Lifestyle Coordinator, at Bupa Aged Care Windsor in Melbourne
24 A HEALTHY HELPING OF COMMITMENT 26 BUPA BRAIN TRAINER 27 TEAM MEMBER PROFILE 28 BUPA BITES 31 YEARS OF SERVICE
You can also read Beat magazine online at bupabeat.com.au BEAT | 3
When wishes come true (left to right): Paul and Mary Lowe enjoy the 5 star pop-up restaurant at Bupa Windsor; Former WW2 pilot Richard Ridoutt visits the Australian National Aviation Museum in Melbourne and then walks team member Dijana Dumanic down the aisle; and finally Jean Green, John Bick, Dianne Bell, Venn Coulter and Rosemary Eagle have a weekend away at favourite childhood holiday spot, Torquay, Victoria.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME MOMENTS By listening closely, and with the backing of a strong team, Bupa people can truly make a difference to people’s lives. It’s one thing to attend to a person’s physical needs in an aged care home, but it’s quite another to improve their quality of life and fulfil their emotional needs as well. And it’s by going this extra mile to help people lead not only longer and healthier lives, but also happier lives, that distinguishes the team from Bupa Aged Care in Windsor, Victoria. Building on the ‘Map of Life’ initiative, a program designed to help Bupa aged-care workers better understand the personal history of the people they care for, the team at Bupa Windsor have created the ‘Wishing Tree’. Here, residents can place a specific dream or unfulfilled ambition physically onto the tree and the Bupa Windsor team consider how best to bring it to life.
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One such resident was Richard Ridoutt, who had always wished he’d been the father of the bride at a wedding. Richard had missed his opportunity with his own daughter. “He only had one daughter, but she got married overseas and he couldn’t go, so he never got to be father of the bride at a wedding,” recalls Dianne Bell, a roving Lifestyle Coordinator based out of Bupa Windsor in Melbourne’s southeast, with a sense of wistfulness in her voice. After learning of Richard’s wish, the team at Bupa Windsor jumped into action and decided to try something bold, so much so one of the nurses working with Di suggested: “Why doesn’t one of us dress up in a bridal gown and stage a wedding for Richard?”. Di’s own daughter had just recently been married, so with her permission, the wedding dress was secured and a grand celebration was born. Di took the idea to Richard and knew it was a winner, even before he had a chance to say anything. “The smile on his face said it all,” says Di, positively beaming. (Continued on page 6)
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“ It’s about creating those meaningful moments and going the extra mile, because when people come into a care home, they don’t stop living.”
Left: Dianne Bell has been the driving force in getting the Bupa residents to experience new things Right: The residents place their wishes on the appropriately named ‘Wishing Tree’ which can be found in the foyer of Bupa Windsor The whole team at Bupa Windsor got together to plan for the occasion. “Even a resident’s dog was involved in the ceremony as part of the flower girl procession,” Di says laughing. “That’s certainly not something you see every day!” But despite this unconventional approach to acting out the ceremony the day went off without a hitch, much to the delight of everyone involved. “Richard walked one of our team members, who was the bride, down through the lounge, other residents and staff were holding up the wedding dress and Richard was absolutely ecstatic,” says Di. “His daughter later told me she’d felt like she’d let her Dad down because he never walked her down the aisle and was delighted he finally got his chance.” The Wishing Tree initiative is an important part of life at Bupa Windsor. “Our aim is to make our residents’ lives as fulfilling and joyful as possible,” explains Lisa Myers, General Manager. “We view their room as their home, and Bupa Windsor as their world, which is where we can nurture their feelings of wellbeing and continue their connection with the wider community.”
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So, one by one, the Bupa Windsor team has started helping their residents achieve life ambitions that would otherwise have been impossible. Most importantly, the residents’ activities weren’t imposed on them by someone else, “they revolved around what the residents want to do, what their dreams are as captured on the Wishing Tree,” says Di. Recently, a group of eight travelled to Torquay, to relive the special childhood holiday memories of one of the residents. “We took a minibus down, stayed at a friend’s holiday house, walked along the beach and ate ice creams, drank a little wine that night and had such a great time,” explains Di. Sometimes, the meaningful moments lead to ongoing activities for all residents. “One of our residents wanted to play lawn bowls, so we organized a night at the local bowls club, which just so happens to be the oldest in Melbourne,” explains General Manager, Lisa. “The resident and our team members loved it, so now we are social members of the bowls club, and every few weeks we take four of five residents down for social bowls, which not only do they love, but it
also helps make them feel more connected to the local community.” Sometimes, a little improvisation is required, to bring these meaningful moments to life. Such as one resident who always wanted to go on a cruise being treated to a river boat trip down the Yarra, or another couple who wanted to dine at a fine restaurant suddenly finding a room at Bupa Windsor had been turned into a five star restaurant, just for them. Di explains that with the backing of a strong team, it’s possible to bring to life these happy moments for residents. “It’s not just about coming to work and doing things like showering residents, it’s about creating those meaningful moments and going the extra mile, because when people come into a care home, they don’t stop living.” Di is now taking the Wishing Tree initiative into further Bupa Aged Care homes, including Bupa Portland, in the Western Districts of Victoria, which just so happens to be Di’s childhood home. So there might be plenty of local connections to help Di and her team bring more meaningful moments to life for Bupa residents, in whatever shape or form!
Calendars
Tuesday A day in the life
Day
Week
Month
Year < TODAY >
5.45AM Waking up without an alarm clock, Dr Helen heads off for a one-hour run to train
for the many events she participates in. Dr Helen recently completed the Sydney marathon in a time of 3.35 hours, second in her age group. 7.00AM Breakfast ritual of porridge (“Always porridge”, Dr Helen confesses) at one of her
favourite cafes. 7.30AM Arrive home to organise the four men in Dr Helen’s life: three growing boys and
her husband! 9.00AM Arrive at work. Dr Helen alternates locations, spending one day at Bupa Roseville
and the next at Bupa Willoughby. Dr Helen’s Clinical Manager has already prepared a list of residents for her to visit for the morning. “It’s such a pleasure to be able to work at the pace of the residents, and truly understand their needs and issues without the rigors of a 15-minute appointment schedule,” explains Dr Helen. 11.30AM Dr Helen and her team hold their regular ‘Resident Review’ meeting, where
they discuss residents that have been seen in the last month and analyse their progress, trying to identify actions that could improve their wellbeing and prevent future incidents. 12.30PM
Salad lunch.
1.00PM Admin hour! Dr
Helen completes the scripts that have to be written each day for the medication needs of the residents, writes referral letters and phones specialists to follow up on results that have been sent out for.
2.00PM Dr Helen phones family members of residents she has seen recently to discuss
Dr Helen Steinke When Dr Helen Steinke was in private practice, she was constantly fighting the clock to maintain high standards of care for her elderly patients. Now she spends her time as a resident GP with Bupa Care Services Australia at Bupa Roseville and Bupa Willoughby, making every day a little brighter for our residents.
their ongoing needs. 3.00PM Dr Helen meets face-to-face with a daughter of a resident to discuss the resident’s
ongoing care. “It’s this level of proactive care that simply wouldn’t be possible with the pressures of private practice and an ever-filling waiting room.” 3.45PM
Dr Helen does a medication round to check on residents and adjust any scripts accordingly.
4.00PM Dr Helen finishes the working day by meeting with her team to plan for the
following day. “As part of my commitment to providing personalised care for our residents, I’m happy to be on call and fully informed of any issues while I’m off-site, so I can respond immediately if need be.” 6.30PM Dinner with all the family present. “It’s something we do without fail”, Dr Helen says. 7.30PM
Yoga class to help relax and relieve a strained muscle from the marathon.
8.30PM Home again to catch the end of the cricket with one of her boys. “It’s something
you learn to enjoy with three boys in the house!” 10.00PM
Time for bed, with no need to set the alarm clock.
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What do Shrek, chrysanthemums and Bupa Health Insurance have in common? They are all part and parcel of Lachlan Blundell’s customer service.
EVERYDAY HERO Lachlan Blundell Everyday acts of generosity and selflessness make the Bupa community what it is. As Health Support Consultant, Lachlan Blundell discovered his small gesture of kindness turned out to have a major impact, causing ripples far and wide throughout Bupa and, in particular, causing a great deal of joy for one Bupa customer, Sally Anne Martin. In April 2014, Sally Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer. Last December, Sally Anne was about to finish chemotherapy treatment when she was told she’d need to go in for follow-up radiotherapy. “I just wept and thought, ‘How am I going to afford $3000?’,” Sally Anne said. So she called Bupa to check her level of cover. Sally Anne was transferred through to Lachlan at Bupa’s Brisbane contact centre. She was distraught, but Lachlan was able to guide her through her policy and explain that the radiotherapy would be covered. But Lachlan also had another idea. “I’m a bit of a movie nut. So I said to her, ‘Look, if you need something to help cheer you up, go and get a copy of Shrek and put it on and have yourself a good laugh’,” Lachlan said. At this, Sally Anne cracked up laughing — a laugh so uproarious it surprised Lachlan. “Jeez, I didn’t think it was that funny!” he joked. What Lachlan didn’t realise was that Sally
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Anne’s wedding had been Shrek themed, and her husband had actually dressed as Shrek for the ceremony. “I thought that was awesome!” Lachlan said. Lachlan was so touched by Sally Anne’s story that he arranged, via the Bupa Helping Hands initiative, to have a bunch of flowers and a $50 gift card delivered to her home to commemorate her final day of chemotherapy. Moved almost to tears, Sally Anne took a photo of the flowers and, along with a 300-word thank-you message, posted it to Facebook.
“ Taking the time to actively listen, because a lot of people don’t seem to do that. That way, you inject the human element back into your work” Before Lachlan even had time to blink, the story had gone viral throughout Bupa as well as Sally Anne’s social media circles. “All my friends ‘liked’ it and started writing comments like ‘maybe we should join Bupa!’,” Sally Anne says. But it didn’t end there. “A couple of days after that, I found out that Stuart Fletcher, [the UK-based CEO of Bupa], had heard about it and I just thought, ‘Wow, I never thought it would go this far!’,” Lachlan says.
But it’s clear Lachlan’s modesty has kept his emotions from running too wild. “It’s been very humbling and, to be honest, I don’t know how to react to all this because it’s not something I’m used to,” Lachlan confesses. Though he did take the time to pause and reflect on what he thinks it was about his attitude that has now etched his name in Bupa history: “Taking the time to actively listen, because a lot of people don’t seem to do that. That way, you inject the human element back into your work”. The final line of Sally Anne’s Facebook message says it all: “A big thank you to Lachlan and #bupa. You made the end of my day very happy… Has your health fund done this for you?”
Health & Wellbeing content provided by Bupa’s Health Content Team
HEALTH& WELLBEING Protect yourself from cold & flu Well before the trees turn bare, it’s important to take preventive measures to try and reduce the spread of seasonal nasties that can make you and others sick. To best guard ourselves against colds and flu, it helps to know the nitty gritty of how people can catch them. Cold and flu viruses spread from person-to-person through breathing in airborne droplets from coughs or sneezes, or by touching contaminated objects and shared surfaces, such as door handles, and then your nose or mouth.
Did you know that the flu virus can survive for up to 30 minutes on unwashed hands, and can linger on surfaces for up to two days?
• If you or someone you work with has cold or flu-like symptoms, steer clear of meetings in confined rooms • Try not to go to work if you’re unwell — If you have a cold or the flu you can remain contagious for four to five days after developing symptoms • Healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, a balanced diet and getting enough sleep can help boost your cold and flu-fighting ability • Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke as it makes your immune system weaker and causes many other health problems
What can you do to help stop the spread in the work setting?
Should vitamins and mineral supplements be part of your cold and flu arsenal?
• Get the flu vaccine yearly, ideally in early autumn
It’s true that most prevention strategies for winter nasties tend to focus on the use of vitamin or mineral supplements. These may help if the body is not getting enough of what it needs from your food. But the fact is there’s no strong scientific evidence that vitamin or mineral supplements are useful against colds and flu.
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and warm water if possible • When you cough or sneeze, turn away from others and cover your nose and mouth with a tissue • Throw used tissues in to a plastic-lined rubbish bin as soon as you are done with them • Clean your desk daily, particularly if you are ‘flexi desking’
The best way to prevent the flu is to get the flu vaccine each year. Don’t miss your opportunity to receive a flu vaccination from a Bupa Wellness nurse — one of your many benefits of working for Bupa. Flu vaccinations are offered at all Bupa sites annually between March and May.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
IT’S TIME TO SMILE FOR LIFE World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on March 20. This year the theme is ‘Smile for Life’, so here are fast tips for a good oral health routine from Dr Mark Psillakis, Bexley Dental, to help you have a healthy smile at all ages. nB rush your teeth for 2–3 minutes twice a day, every day, using fluoride-containing toothpaste. A sufficient clean will help fight bacteria growth and periodontal disease.
Bupa’s Dental Corporation, part of our Bupa Health Services business unit, offers a corporate dental program for all Bupa employees and their families.
nC hew sugar-free gum after eating as it stimulates saliva, which helps neutralise and wash away tooth-damaging acids.
Take a healthy bite out of dental bills with 10% off all dental treatments* at over 200 locations across Australia and New Zealand. To register, visit dentalcarenetwork.com, click on the ‘Corporate Program’ tab then select ‘Employee Registration’.
n Wait at least 1 hour after a meal before brushing your teeth because the acid in food and drink can temporarily soften your tooth enamel. n Floss every day, wrapping the floss to form a C shape between your teeth. Flossing removes small food particles and plaque from areas your toothbrush can’t reach. n If you choose to snack, go for healthy portions of ‘tooth-friendly’ foods such as low-fat cheese, unsalted nuts, apples, carrots and celery. n Visit your dentist regularly. Dental check ups provide the opportunity for your dentist to examine your teeth and mouth and identify any problems as early as possible.
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*For terms and conditions, visit dentalcarenetwork.com
Smooth are an e ies asy and tasty w ay to bu up you mp Calcium r calcium intak e. pla formatio ys a key role in the n and m a of healt hy teeth intenance , suppo their str ucture a rting nd hardnes s.
Mango & Coconut Smoothie Ingredients 1 cup low-fat milk ½ cup or 1 small tub low-fat natural/Greek yoghurt ½ teaspoon coconut essence 1 tablespoon wheat germ or oat bran Flesh of half a mango, chopped 1 teaspoon honey Method Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Flavour variations Experiment with different flavours by switching the chopped mango and coconut essence from the recipe above for other ingredients to make new flavour combinations:
There’s a smoothie way to help boost teeth health Dietitian tip Remember, not all smoothies are created equal... some can be very high in sugar, which reacts with the bacteria in your mouth to produce an acidic environment which can lead to tooth decay. Cutting down on how often you have sugary foods helps maintain a more neutral pH level in the mouth — a great way to limit the amount of time your teeth are at risk. Fruit or other flavoured yoghurts are often high in sugar. If you choose to eat or use these, look for ones that have <6g of sugar per 100g. If you want to give your smoothie a little extra sweetness, add a minimal amount of honey (1 teaspoon) or a natural sweetener like Stevia.
Banana & Cinnamon – add one peeled & chopped banana and one teaspoon cinnamon Mixed Berry & Spice – add 150 grams mixed berries and one teaspoon nutmeg or cardamom Strawberry & Vanilla – add 150 grams hulled & chopped strawberries and ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
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ONE BUPA
ads e H bucca m a N “ I can’t tell you how many people said: ‘Please come back again. We love this service.’ ”
A healthy exercise all round Last year Ciara Carlsen from the Bupa Wellness team clocked up around 3000 kilometres on the road, not for the sake of her own fitness but to help other members of the Bupa team safeguard their health.
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Ciara Carlsen (pictured below left) is a Corporate Health Nurse for Bupa Wellness whose normal routine is conducting Heart Health Screenings in Sydney, often for large corporations that provide regular opportunities for their employees to have check ups. So going ‘on tour’ around country New South Wales to screen members of the Bupa Care Services teams at regional Bupa care homes provided a refreshing change of scenery. That made Ciara herself very keen on the program, and she discovered her enthusiasm was more than matched by the team members she was seeing – at a rate of about 24 each day. “They were just amazing, they really were,” she says. “In most places, I think the bookings were up around 90%.” That’s a much higher uptake than the Wellness team are used to seeing in the city, where people may be more inclined to take the availability of checks for granted. “People even came in on their days off and night shift workers came back in the middle of the day.” Ciara’s road trip took in a huge area – from Armidale and Tamworth up north, to Eden in the south and Tumut and Griffith further west. Each screening measured cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and waistlines, and included a diabetes risk assessment. Ciara also offered advice about follow-up treatment and any appropriate lifestyle changes.
“Generally their health was pretty good,” says Ciara, “but many of them have been in their jobs for a long time and are themselves ageing.” The challenges many team members face made the high turn-out more understandable, and also more beneficial. There was a great response everywhere Ciara went, but it was Pam Tomek and her team at Bupa Berry who won the prize for the highest take-up rate of all.
And that helped her team achieve their 2014 resolution to make the “I am healthier because I work at Bupa” goal a reality in their home. Pam, the General Manager at Berry, says an essential attraction of the program was that it was done in such a convenient and confidential way. She thinks some people who were happy to see Ciara would not have been so willing to make a formal appointment with their own GPs, so it helped them to take action they had previously been putting off. And that in turn helped her team achieve their 2014 resolution to make the “I am healthier because I work at Bupa” goal a reality in their home. Even small things counted in their favour: “As a newer home, we had a nice little private
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place to hold the consultations. We used the beauty salon, which is not in a staff area or a residents’ area so people could go along one-by-one on their own.” Their private beauty salon also helped the Bupa Berry team enjoy their prize: free massages for anyone who wanted them. “We’re a funny mob here,” says Pam. “One thing we weren’t keen on was booking in advance online.” The Wellness team became a bit concerned that the massages may not prove as popular as the screenings, but they needn’t have worried. “When the masseur arrived we all lined up and filled every timeslot.”
Ciara hopes country tours become a regular event. The emphasis on confidentiality means there is no formal follow-up by her team, but she says the responses of the people she spoke to on her trip – and positive feedback from the care homes since then – makes her confident that most of those who were at risk will have made appropriate lifestyle changes. She’s also confident of a warm welcome on any return visit. “People in these areas don’t often get the same level of services opportunities that people in the city do,” she says. “I can’t tell you how many people said: ‘Please come back again. We love this service’.”
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AT A GLANCE • In rural and regional areas, people can be reluctant to make a formal appointment with their GP, and important check ups can often be put off. • By sending a Corporate Health Nurse around country New South Wales, Bupa saw a 90% uptake in bookings for appointments, much higher than experienced in the city, with people even coming in on their days off.
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BUPA IN 2020 The quote to the right from a young parent comes from research into the community’s expectations of healthcare providers that Bupa did last year. As expected, the study found that many people now want their health services to do more than just treat symptoms. The qualities they are looking for in a total health & care partner include: 1 S haring of knowledge and experience in a meaningful way and time, to help guide consumers and steer them to healthier life outcomes. “ I don’t want generic service or information. I want something that will change with me as I age… Send me information that is tailored to me.” 2 Someone who strives to make a difference to the quality of health & care. Someone who does the right thing. “ Represent us and our opinions - there are so many areas for Bupa to do this.” “ Someone who takes the extra step and has people’s best interests at heart.” The research was undertaken to help us fulfil Bupa’s ambition to become a health & care partner to millions more people by 2020, but it also confirmed that we’re already on the right track. While 2020 is still five years away, there are plenty of real life examples today of our team members creating new and deeper partnerships with their patients and customers and the broader community, inspired by the changing needs and demands of consumers. They are observing that shift in expectations every day of their working lives and responding to it as a natural part of their caring roles.
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“ I want someone to help me when I’m healthy, and have my back when I’m not. I think Bupa definitely has the potential to do this.”
BECOMING THE HEALTH & CARE PARTNER PEOPLE WANT
“ Instead of a true healthcare system, we’ve had a chronic disease management system. But the tide is definitely turning.”
“ Patients out there now are much more aware of what can go wrong with their eyes and a lot more are now coming in for regular checks.”
Ron Ehrlich of the Sydney Holistic Dental Centre is a long-term advocate of more patient-centred treatment whose pioneering practice is now part of the Bupa network. He’s delighted that patients are becoming dissatisfied with old-fashioned symptom-based treatment, because it shows they’re better informed and asking more of their providers. Fundamentally he thinks meeting their needs is simple. “We just listen to them to understand what their priorities are.”
Bernard Wong, an optometrist at Bupa Optical in Indooroopilly, credits various campaigns about specific eye diseases with making more patients proactive in seeking care. He and his team have really embraced a higher level of communication with their customers. “Whatever advice or information I give them is backed up by our other team members, which is all part of making sure our customers leave with a better understanding of what’s happening to their eyes.”
“ Residents at Bupa are treated as individuals, and are active participants in their own care... this is a commitment we take seriously.”
“ We get heaps of people from different backgrounds. They want someone who understands their culture and makes them feel comfortable.”
Dijana Dumancic, the Acting Care Manager at Bupa Windsor, has seen a big change in the whole residential care home experience. “When families arrive here everyone says that it looks like someone’s real home. Residents decide on the décor, the colour scheme and the leisure time pursuits that they can choose to take part in. This also extends across all aspects of their care. We respect the individual resident’s right to help determine their own care. We listen to them and ensure they see their GP when they want to.”
As a Cultural Experience Leader, Qiao Yang heads a Bupa team that goes well beyond the traditional model of selling health insurance. “We help people understand how to access the system.” In China, for instance, there are no GP clinics and sick people normally go straight to the nearest hospital. “We explain what a GP does and how the referral system works.” Often Qiao and his team also provide general cultural help. “We sometimes even have to show them where to go to get a driver’s licence!”
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n DIABETES
REGULAR PHONE CALLS CAN BE A HEALTHY HABIT
With many chronic health conditions, a first diagnosis brings with it immediate support, information and lifestyle guidelines. But with a condition like diabetes, people don’t just need a one-off information hit. Regular support, motivation and reminders to ensure positive management of their condition has proven much more effective. That’s why Bupa Health Dialog Coach, Vasantha Ragunathan, recommends one of the first things people with diabetes should do is register with Diabetes Australia and the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) to receive regular information and advice for them and their loved ones. “It’s important that over the years people with diabetes are regularly informed to keep them positively managing their condition,” explains Vasantha. “Often a simple reminder, like a monthly email newsletter, can make all the difference in helping people stay on a positive
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journey and not slip into unhealthy habits.” It is this advice and support that is the foundation of the Bupa Health Dialog Coaching Program. “When we contacted our customer Mildred, she had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 14 years ago and had a personal goal of losing weight. Her approach to the idea of Health Coaching was ‘why not give it a go, I’ve got nothing to lose but some weight!’.” Mildred was on the Health Coaching Program for four months and found the regular contact with Vasantha motivating and encouraging. “It’s often challenging to achieve your goals on your own,” explains Mildred. “When you know someone will be phoning up to check on your progress, you tend to stick to things much more.” Simple advice, such as walking around her verandah twice a week for exercise and self monitoring her blood pressure on a home kit are all steps Mildred has maintained even after
the Health Coaching concluded. “Once you get going on these sorts of things, it’s much easier to keep them up, even without a regular phone call,” says Mildred. “I did manage to lose weight during the coaching and I’m still walking around the veranda because that’s something I can do rain, hail or shine seeing I’m undercover!” Another benefit of the Health Coaching Program is that you have the time, and often the trust of your customers, to talk about different aspects of their lifestyle beyond just exercise and diet. “I try to find out how people are sleeping, whether there are any particular stresses they are under or if they suffer from arthritis, which can all negatively impact on their diabetes,” says Vasantha. “It does become a personal relationship rather than just a phone call,” says Mildred of the Health Coaching Program. “Vasantha was great and I’d certainly recommend the program to anyone.”
X MEN ORIGINS
SUSTAIN ABILITY Labour of love for a Healthy Planet As an organisation, Bupa has introduced a number of initiatives to minimise our impact on the environment and achieve a 20% carbon reduction target for the end of 2015. Now we’re also tackling sustainability at a personal level. Innovations such as the Spark Program, LED lighting upgrades in all our offices and retail stores and the installation of solar panels in all our care homes in Australia are significant steps to help Bupa achieve its sustainability goals. Now the new Healthy Planet initiative is calling on our own people to make small changes to the way they use energy at work and at home and contribute to our carbon reduction target. One such team member is Cassius Armitage, Executive Manager for Multicultural Australia, who has turned a derelict farmhouse in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges of Victoria into a totally sustainable and self-sufficient rural environment. Originally from England, Cassius had plenty of passion for undertaking his ‘tree change’ in 2008, but very little knowledge of how to go about it. “The first thing I did was to join the local Permaculture Club,” explains Cassius. “And then I used the nearly three-hour commute each day into the city to listen to ebooks on subjects such as how to build a pig pen or a chicken coop.”
Cassius’s philosophy in creating his rural nirvana was to ‘reuse, repurpose and recycle’ all materials so he didn’t have to purchase anything new in the process. This tree change, however, wasn’t just an intellectual challenge, but also a highly physical labour of love. “Every weekend would be spent digging, landscaping and building, which kept me so fit I could let my gym membership lapse.” Cassius’s passion for sustainability isn’t confined to his own farm. He has volunteered for Bupa Tree Planting initiatives as well as being an ambassador for Healthy Planet, carrying his personal commitment back into the corporate sphere.
CASSIUS’ TOP TIPS Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! Recycle bottles and jars. Use in the garden to aid watering or reduce wind factor. Recycle cardboard. Shred it with rotting leaves and use as a free mulch/compost. Recycle food scraps. Start your own worm farm for the best free fertiliser going!
WOLVERINE
BUPA BLOOPER Sadly for Hollywood scriptwriters, sometimes sinister sounding drugs are not all they seem. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the girlfriend of our hero dies, only for it to be revealed that her death was faked. This was achieved by using a drug to dramatically slow her heart rate as to mimic the appearance of death. The drug? A medical mouthful by the name of ‘hydrochlorothiazide’. For most of us, it all seems feasible... anything with that many letters could do possibly anything to the human body. But unfortunately for the makers of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, they failed to pick up that their polysyllabic pharmaceutical was merely a humble diuretic. A quick Google search by them would have revealed that it treats excessive fluid accumulation and is often used for high blood pressure - hardly the ominous potion it was made out to be. So next time Hollywood, make up a name for your pretend drug or check what a real drug actually does. Remember that doctors like movies too, and don’t always like laughing alone!
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Informed from the very start
BUPA BEGINNINGS There’s no shortage of information about pregnancy available. Women who are expecting a baby can also expect to find plenty of helpful advice on everything from diet and exercise to choosing baby names. But there’s one more pragmatic issue that isn’t so easy to find good information about: the associated healthcare costs and options. Discovering that information gap was the catalyst for developing Bupa Beginnings. “It’s basically an interactive guide that’s designed to support women who are either planning on becoming pregnant, are pregnant, or have recently given birth,” Suellen Grossi, from On Campus Support, Overseas Student Health Cover, Adelaide explains. “It’s designed to provide all the health services and health insurance advice an expecting mum-to-be would want.” In late 2014, Suellen participated in the public testing of the app, where women at various stages of pregnancy came in to trial it and provide feedback on its usefulness.
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Expecting mum and graphic designer Kat Everett found the hub quite enlightening. “When you first get pregnant, you have a lot of questions that you don’t know the answers to, particularly in terms of which hospitals and doctors might be the most appropriate for you. So to be able to have access to a guide like that, where you can have your questions answered, is incredibly handy. I love the fact that I can just log in and do what I need when it’s convenient for me.” Bupa Beginnings will allow members to access their specific health insurance details via My Bupa. The guide then draws on that information to provide a personal journey through pregnancy, explaining what they’re covered for and what out-of-pocket costs should be expected, and suggesting upgrades for consideration. Tim Naylor, Bupa’s Retention Strategy Manager, has been overseeing the final stages of development of Bupa Beginnings in the leadup to its mid-March launch. “Bupa Beginnings will be launched in stages, firstly to our frontline team to get them aware of the app and engaged with it so they can recommend it when appropriate. And then a week later it will be launched to consumers.” Bupa Beginnings will be available at pregnancy.bupa.com.au and, as a fully responsive site, it will work across all mobile, tablet and desktop devices. While it will only be available in Australia to start with (because it is based on the specifics of a particular national health system), Tim hopes Bupa Beginnings will be rolled out in other countries following the success of the Australian launch.
In Australia, Bupa is the proud sponsor of the Parenting Insights Live at the national Pregnancy, Babies and Children’s Expo. Here, our experts will be discussing issues such as the ‘Fab Four’ nutrients to help get your baby off to a flying start. Folic acid (folate): Crucial for reducing your baby’s risk of being born with a spinal cord problem called a neural tube defect (NTD), such as spina bifida. Take a folic acid supplement (at least 400 micrograms) for at least 1 month before becoming pregnant and for the first 3 months of your pregnancy. Iodine: Found in prawns, seaweed, eggs, fish and fortified breads and cereals, this essential nutrient helps your thyroid gland to produce hormones, and your baby’s brain and nervous system to develop. You need about 220 micrograms a day during pregnancy so a daily iodine supplement of 150 micrograms is recommended. Calcium: Help your baby grow healthy bones and teeth by taking in the recommended 3 serves of dairy or fortified alternatives daily. Good sources include milk, yoghurt, hard cheese, fortified soy products and salmon or sardines with bones. Iron: Iron helps our bodies make red blood cells, which transport oxygen around the body. It’s particularly important during pregnancy because you have a greater blood volume, plus your baby is developing blood. Enjoy lean red meat, oily fish, wholegrain breads, lentils and pulses to get the recommended daily iron intake of 27 milligrams. Visit pbcexpo.com.au for expo dates.
BUPA DR Dr Tim Ross It’s getting to that time of year when we start worrying about colds and flu. Is it just the colder temperature that makes us more susceptible, or is there more to it? In this issue of Beat, our resident doctor looks at whether a change in weather can make you sick, and allays your fears about the flu vaccination.
CHANGING SEASONS
FLU VACCINATION MYTHS
Q. C an you really get sick more when the seasons change?
Q. Can the flu vaccination give you the flu?
A. Yes you can. Most respiratory viruses prefer the cold weather and this is why autumn and particularly winter can bring more ills. Moving from warmer weather to cooler weather is a common time to get sick as your immunity has generally dropped in the warmer months. See page 9 in this edition of Bupa Beat for some cold and flu fighting tips. Another point of susceptibility is the change from winter to spring. This is because the allergic stimulus of pollens and grasses can make the lining of your nose and throat vulnerable to viruses. Hay fever makes you sneeze and your eyes and nose run. But it can also make you feel fatigued which confuses us no end. The change to summer can increase your risk of gastroenteritis. Summer brings warmer weather combined with functions and parties where there is more food handling and food can be left lying around. If you doubt the food on the table, I suggest leaving it alone.
A. No it cannot. Nonetheless, this is a very common fear that people have when they present for their flu shot. It is not unexpected as some people have a pronounced immune response to the vaccine that mimics the flu and can feel achy and tired for 2 or 3 days. This is often why people think that they have caught the flu from the vaccine. The fact is they have not. If you feel a bit ‘fluey’ after the shot, I recommend taking paracetamol or ibuprofen, depending on your other health history. If you’re unsure about whether you should take these or have questions about how much to take, ask your GP or pharmacist. For future years, having a half dose of the flu vaccination can lessen or remove the symptoms but can still give you immunity (this is the children’s dose). Also, having a different brand of flu shot may make a difference too. Talk to your GP/immuniser about your options and be sure to mention if you have had flu-like or any other symptoms after the injection in the past.
Got your own question for Dr Tim? Just email it to askthedoc@bupa.com.au BEAT | 19
Left: Claire Jordan, proud Village Manager of Liston Heights
SUN, SMILES & SALES… A WINNING FORMULA 20 | BEAT
When Claire Jordan took over as Village Manager at Liston Heights in Taupo, NZ, she had no experience in sales and faced a once-ina-generation turnover of residents and new apartments to sell that resulted in a 30% vacancy rate. “When I arrived at Liston Heights in 2011, most of the residents that had come here in the late 90s were progressing to a care home,” explains Claire Jordan, the Village Manager. “There were also some new apartments that had been built that were still for sale and the combination of these two factors resulted in a 30% vacancy rate that needed to be addressed very quickly.” Claire’s background was in Occupational Therapy, so taking charge of sales and marketing involved a very steep learning curve. “The first thing I had to do was simply be more confident in myself, because I knew the village was superior and therefore I could sell it on its own merits, without having to compromise on my principles,” Claire says now. An important part of the sales and marketing process was to gain a deep understanding of the local community and its specific needs in relation to independent living. “We had to ensure our approach and messaging was personal to Taupo, as the community here has its own distinct culture and older people are very active in managing their own retirement care needs,” says Claire.
One thing Claire didn’t expect to become was an expert in solar movement. “Light and warmth are very important to potential residents, and I have become quite knowledgeable about the positioning of the sun throughout the day and how it impacts on the different villas and apartments we have available,” she says. “Being able to tell people where the morning and afternoon sun will be in their potential unit is a vital part of the sales process.” Another important factor is to understand residents’ needs before you start showing them potential options. “Showing people too many villas simply becomes overwhelming and they struggle making a decision,” explains Claire. “So by understanding their needs first and matching those to the most appropriate units available, I can narrow down the options to make buying one much easier.” Word of mouth referrals are also important and having happy residents can assist the sales process in more ways than one.
Right: Tui McLeay, resident and big fan of Liston Heights since 2011. Claire’s background in Occupational Therapy and Counseling also provides residents with an in-house sounding board. “She is so good at listening and Claire will often have three or four people in her office just wanting a chat,” says Tui. “We love her to bits.” In fact it’s instilling confidence in potential residents that she will be totally accountable for their needs and happiness that Claire rates as perhaps her number one selling approach. “We have such a fabulous team here at Liston Heights who make the village a very positive and happy place to be,” she says. “Of course there are always stresses and pressures that arise, but having a sense of humour and the ability to laugh is essential for success.”
“ Claire is such a happy and positive person, she was brilliant in explaining all the considerations such as the money side of things and we just clicked from the start.” “When Claire holds an Open Day, we make sure we all sit around smiling and laughing to help promote a happy environment for people thinking of moving here,” says Tui McLeay, a resident of Liston Heights since 2011. Tui started to consider an independent living facility after her husband passed away and her large garden was becoming too much for her. “I looked at four places when I was choosing where to live,” explains Tui. “One of them seemed like it was full of old, unhappy people, another was very dark and dull with no light and I just didn’t like any of them except Bupa.” Tui never felt pressured during the sales process and was impressed that Claire explained all the details she would need to consider. “Claire is such a happy and positive person, she was brilliant in explaining all the considerations such as the money side of things and we just clicked from the start,” says Tui.
Liston Heights
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RHYTHMS 22 | BEAT
Hisham El-Ansary, Managing Director of Bupa Health Services, is a man of action who is passionate about Bupa’s purpose and likes to resolve issues as soon as they arise. But on weekends, Hisham loves spending time in his garden and enjoying the occasional steak and chips. WHY BUPA? Without doubt, it’s our purpose – longer, healthier, happier lives. I’ve worked for lots of organisations over the last 30 years: from construction to aviation, energy distribution to department store retailing, and I can unequivocally say that none of these organisations had a purpose more motivating or more meaningful to me than ours.
MY TIME MANAGEMENT SECRET Trying to deal with something “once”. I find the biggest waster of time, is having to constantly revisit the same issue – a difficult decision rarely gets easier with the progression of time!
HOW I KEEP HEALTHY Walking. I’ve been recovering from a foot injury which stopped me walking for a few months and it made me realise just how much I enjoyed getting out and walking our Siberian husky, Koda, along the beach. Every day the bay seems to take on a different character, so I never get bored.
MY FAVOURITE SPORT Tennis – both to play and to watch. My whole family enjoys it and we try and make it to the Australian Open every year.
MY PROUDEST MOMENT Cutting the umbilical cord after the birth of our first child, Kareem.
THE WAY I RELAX Gardening. I just love to get my hands dirty messing about in our garden on weekends in an old pair of jeans and a tee shirt. It’s a nice change from the suit and tie I wear during the week.
MY FAVOURITE MEAL A tender eye fillet cooked medium with pepper sauce, sides of garlic spinach and thrice cooked chips. Top that off with dark chocolate and a long mac - I’m in heaven!
MY FAVOURITE MOVIE The Godfather - I remember being completely enthralled watching this as a kid for the first time. I still find it captivating even now, with some brilliant lines: “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse...”.
THERE SHOULD BE MORE... Passion - it fuels action.
THERE SHOULD BE LESS... Apathy – life’s too short to drift.
A PREMIERSHIP POWERNAP Bupa has recently provided the Hawthorn Football Club (Hisham’s AFL team) with a sleep pod that had been previously used in the Bupa George Street retail centre in Sydney (where there are multiple Metronaps-built sleep pods for customers to use). Chris Fagan, Hawthorn Football Club’s General Manager of Football Operations explains the benefits of a quick, Bupa-powered, power nap for his team. “The sleep pod provides players with the opportunity to freshen up physically and mentally during long training days. Research suggests that a 20 minute power nap has multiple benefits. The ability to think, listen and learn is enhanced whilst tired muscles have the opportunity to recover between sessions. There is also the added benefit of relaxation and stress relief.” “The bottom line is that sleep pods have the capacity to assist player productivity – an outcome we are all keen to achieve.”
TURN YOUR WALK INTO A WORKOUT If you love walking like Hisham and are ready to take it up a notch, try these four steps to turn your walk into a workout. Use walking routes with hills or steps This can help boost your stamina and increase the strength of your calf and thigh muscles. Walk at a moderately intense level Try walking at a pace that’s comfortable enough to talk, but not to sing. As you get fitter, increase the intensity Include bursts of intense activity in your routine. Alternate between walking as fast as you can for a few minutes and walking at your normal pace for a few minutes. Swing your arms This can help you burn 5% to 10% more kilojoules.
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Shu-Yi Soong volunteering at the recent World Cancer Congress in Melbourne
A HEALTHY HELPING OF COMMITMENT
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To read Bupa’s reports (published in partnership with the Union for International Cancer Control) on tackling cancer risks in the workplace, visit bupa.com/cancer.
For Shu-Yi Soong, joining Bupa’s team at the World Cancer Congress was a very fulfilling way to help achieve a personal goal. It also expanded her appreciation of the organisation she works for. As the Senior Advisor in Bupa’s Finance team, Shu-Yi supports the Health Services businesses and is normally one step removed from the ‘coalface’ of tackling the toughest challenges in health and care. So when she heard about the company’s participation in the World Cancer Congress in Melbourne at the end of last year, she was keen to close that gap and play an active role herself. As you probably already know, delivering a truly holistic approach to cancer is one of the commitments in Bupa 2020. As part of that process, Bupa has formed a partnership with the Union for International Cancer Control (the organisation behind World Cancer Day) to help reduce the impact of cancer in the workplace. The partnership is focused on cancer in the workplace, encouraging all employers to educate their workforce about cancer risk factors, promote early detection and screening, and support members of their teams who are living with cancer. The latest expression of that co-operative spirit was Bupa’s involvement in the World Cancer Congress, the premier international forum to increase understanding of the disease. The Congress attracted more than 2500 people from 110 countries. As a major sponsor, Bupa was able to offer delegates a range of health content, tools and presentations that showcased our credentials in cancer. They ranged from a
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very well-received symposium exploring the use of technology in healthcare to the Global Village health zone, offering an opportunity to experience a range of Bupa’s health apps and free massages. Delegates were also encouraged to participate in a putt-putt challenge, raising $2500 for Cancer Council Australia. Shu-Yi was one of many people within the Bupa team who personified the link between cancer as a workplace issue and the broader, holistic approach by getting involved in the Congress. “We need to tackle cancer as an illness on a global basis”, she says. “It’s not just a country, or an organisation or a hospital here or there.” Shu-Yi volunteered her time to assist in the Bupa information kiosk. The whole experience reinforced again to Shu-Yi that Bupa is very encouraging of employees finding ways to learn more about the health issues that Bupa supports. No doubt the delegates Shu-Yi spoke to were doubly impressed that they were being told about Bupa’s commitment to addressing the challenges of cancer in the workplace by such an enthusiastic member of Bupa’s own workforce. The experience of attending the Congress also really broadened Shu-Yi’s understanding of, and appreciation for, her role within the larger scheme of things at Bupa. “It was interesting to meet some of our
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customers, the everyday people we help who have health concerns. This was also a great opportunity for me to work with other Bupa teams during this event.” Not that it was just ‘everyday people’ Shu-Yi saw. In addition to hearing first-hand from many international experts, she had the opportunity to talk at length with representatives from ‘Peter Mac’ – Melbourne’s renowned Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre – and Cancer Council Australia, “two organisations which really complement what we do at Bupa.” “There’s a whole community out there working on breakthrough cancer care and I really appreciated the opportunity to see it working up close.”
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BUPA BRAIN TRAINER 1. FINGER IS TO HAND AS LEAF IS TO: A. Bark B. Branch C. Tree D. Twig E. Root
The brain is like any muscle. Keeping it in shape requires regular exercise so here at Beat, we always like to make it a little more interesting. Take the challenge below and really stretch the grey matter.
4. MOVE THREE MATCHES TO MAKE THE FISH SWIM RIGHT
77-49-36-18-? A. 12 B. 6 C. 25 D. 9 E. 8
5. WHICH BOX BEST COMPLETES THE SERIES
3. WHAT SINGLE LETTER IS MISSING FROM THE FINAL TWO BOXES?
J C D F H 26 | BEAT
1-1-2-3-5-8-13-? A. 13 B. 18 C. 21 D. 26 E. 29
2. WHAT IS THE NEXT NUMBER?
Y X O A I M ? C D X O B I ?
6. WHAT IS THE NEXT NUMBER?
A.
B.
D.
C.
E.
7. WHAT IS 1/4 OF 1/2 OF 1/5 OF 400? A. 4 B. 10 C. 20 D. 25 E. 50
8. SARAH, WHO IS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD IS FOUR TIMES OLDER THAN HER BROTHER. HOW OLD WILL SARAH BE WHEN SHE IS TWICE AS OLD AS HER BROTHER? A. 20 B. 22 C. 24 D. 26 E. 32 Answers on page 29
TEAM MEMBER PROFILE Sharron McCormack When nourishment means much more than just a good feed Sharron McCormack, Food Assistant at Bupa Aged Care Wodonga, was recently named 2014 Victorian Food Service Assistant of the Year in the OSCAR Hospitality Aged Care Awards. Nominated in secrecy by her General Manager, Linda Hudec, Sharron didn’t know anything about the award until she was named the Victorian winner. “Linda is a big believer in supporting excellence in all areas of our Care Home”, explains Sharron. “I was absolutely thrilled when I found out I’d been nominated and that I’d actually won”. According to Sharron, the award recognizes a lot of the ‘little things’ she and her team do everyday to make the residents lives just that little more special. “Sometimes it just might be having a cup
of coffee with a resident to help calm them if they’re a little agitated, or welcoming family and friends to dine with them and preparing something different”, explains Sharron. Engaging family and friends when they visit is also a good way of uncovering the wider issues that might be affecting the residents’ lives. “Often we just sit down and have a cuppa with family members to better understand how we can help their loved one”, explains Sharron. Sharron’s influences and inspiration for cooking include her parents, who were both in catering, and Jamie Oliver. “I love his wit and humour, and we try and ensure we keep a smile on our faces and have a laugh everyday in the kitchens at Wodonga.”
CURRENT FAVOURITES Chicken Kiev Curried Sausages Hash Browns (breakfast) BEAT | 27
Information and insights from the world of Bupa to keep you up to date on Global, Market and Business Unit news.
BUPA BITES
GLOBAL INDIA
Our Indian joint venture to become a closer partnership Max Bupa in India, Bupa’s Health Insurance joint venture with the Max India Group, has grown rapidly since its creation in 2010 and is now the 7th largest private health insurer in India, holding close to 10% market share of the consumer market. Previously, Bupa’s investment in Max Bupa has been limited to 26% by India’s foreign direct investment rules. However, the Indian Government has recently published the Insurance Laws Amendment Ordinance, which will allow foreign investors to increase their stake in local insurance joint ventures (subject to receiving legislative assent in the 2015 Budget Session of Parliament). Bupa, therefore, intends to increase its shareholding in Max Bupa from 26% to 49% and will submit a formal application to the relevant authorities in India. The private health insurance market in India has been growing at 15% pa and the country’s demographics, emerging middle classes and increasing disposable income all combine to make India an attractive market for Bupa. Strengthening the investment in Max Bupa will be a significant step forward towards the Bupa 2020 goal of becoming a healthcare partner to millions more people around the world.
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PA R T N E R S H I P
Making the very best even healthier When it comes to Spanish institutions, none is much bigger than Real Madrid. The professional football club based in Madrid is one of the most successful in the world, and has been named the FIFA Club of the 20th Century and the Best European Club of the 20th Century and holds the current record for European Cup/UEFA Champions League victories. So it is fitting that Spain’s largest healthcare company, Sanitas (part of Bupa), is now the official medical services provider to Real Madrid. And in a ceremony last year in December, the Managing Director of Sanitas, Inaki Ereno handed Sanitas health membership cards to the entire team, the Coach and his Assistant. As part of its role, Sanitas provides the players with medical knowledge and advice as well as some of the most sophisticated treatment methods available. The team will also have access to the recently opened Sports Medicine Unit at La Moralea Sanitas Hospital which provides specialised prevention, treatment and care services for the main injuries linked to sport.
GLOBAL CHILE
MyBupa makeover goes live
Bupa Brand Builds in Chile
In January, the new MyBupa site was launched aiming to improve the customers’ digital experience for all our Health Insurance members.
2014 saw Bupa’s move into Chile, one of the most attractive healthcare markets in Latin America, with the acquisition of Cruz Blanca Salud, soon to be rebranded Bupa Chile.
With a new look and feel and improved functionality, our customers now have the ability to check estimates, track their usage and manage their health insurance membership online. In addition to this, our customers will now find the MyBupa site easier to navigate while providing a health and care offering that is personalised to their needs. Feedback from our customers so far has been positive with one Health Insurance member saying: “It’s fabulous. In a world where everybody has a website that is supposed to do something, yours gets on and does what it should do cleanly and simply. It’s a standout of simplicity, but as a business owner, I understand how difficult it is to provide such nice, simple functionality.
The flagship project for Bupa Chile was also launched in December 2014, with the laying of the foundation stone for the Clinica Bupa Santiago, a new 314-bed hospital in the Chilean capital. The Clinica Bupa Santiago will become Bupa’s fourth hospital in Chile and will combine the best standards of quality in medicine and technology with the highest levels of sustainability and energy efficiency. The new hospital is a $US161m investment for Bupa in Chile and is due to be operational by November 2016. The three remaining hospitals in Chile will also adopt the Bupa brand.
Not many business websites are an actual ‘pleasure’ to use, but yours is and I think your web design team needs a big pat on the back.”
“This new project demonstrates our commitment to making good quality healthcare more accessible for more people in Chile,” said Inaki Ereno, Managing Director Spain & LatAm Domestic.
Take some time to browse the new site and see for yourself how we have improved the digital experience for our Health Insurance members.
“I’m excited that it will play a key role in Bupa’s ambition to be a healthcare partner to millions more people around the world.”
Q1 D. TWIG Q2 E. 8 (multiply the digits in each number to get the next number in the series)
Q3 H (each letter in the top row is
Braintrainer Answers
CUSTOMER
symmetrical if bisected vertically, while each letter in the bottom row is symmetrical if bisected horizontally. The letter ‘H’ is the only letter that works in both rows)
Q4
Q5 E. (the orange triangle is moving anticlockwise one space at a time, while the blue is moving clockwise one space at a time)
Q6 C. 21 ( each number in the series is the addition of the two previous numbers)
Q7 B. 10 Q8 C. 24 BEAT | 29
n CUSTOMER STORY
VISAS: HEALTHY HOPES & DREAMS If anyone is well placed to judge the quality of Bupa Medical Visa Services (BMVS), it’s Beverly Reyes from Brisbane. Not only does Beverly work for BMVS as a Health Assessor in Brisbane, but when she recently had to undergo a health assessment to apply for a graduate visa, it was her third such assessment in as many years, undertaken by three different providers! “Bupa Medical Visa Services was totally different from anything I’d previously experienced,” explains Beverly. “The whole process flowed very smoothly and everyone was focused on telling me what to expect and how long it would all take”. Beverly’s first experience with a medical assessment to gain a visa was in her home country of the Philippines. “That process took around five hours,” explains Beverly. “No one was telling me what was happening or explaining what I needed to do”. Her next experience was in Australia, when Beverly needed to upgrade her visa, and although it was a slightly shorter process at around three hours, the customer service wasn’t that much different. “You weren’t offered a choice of doctor and some of the procedures happened in one big room at the same time as the rest of your family, which can be a little uncomfortable,” said Beverly. Bupa Medical Visa Services launched in July 2014, and provides health assessments to ensure people applying for Australian visas satisfy the Federal Government’s health requirements. “I felt like an important part of the whole process at Bupa Medical Visa
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Services,” says Beverly. “They treated me like a true patient, not just a number. I was given the choice of a male or female doctor, and every step of the way I was told what was happening. And all up it took about one hour!” Experiencing Bupa Medical Visa Services as a customer has also built on Beverly’s already high level of empathy with customers. So much so, Beverly has the word ‘empathy’ tattooed on her wrist to remind herself and her patients what’s truly important as a health services worker and what they should expect.
“People come into a visa medical health assessment with big hopes and dreams of a better future and we are typically the last requirement before achieving that,” explains Beverly. “By understanding this, you can ensure the process is a positive one that is reinforcing their desire to live in Australia, not a negative one that could leave them disillusioned”. Beverly hopes to stay in Australia for the longer term, as she loves the weather, the people and believes her daughter has a strong opportunity for a bright future. And she’s one more visa approval away from achieving that dream!
Beverly dreams of a bright future in Australia with her daughter Ashaira and husband Henry
YEARS OF SERVICE
LOVE WHAT YOU DO ...and you’ll never work a day in your life!
48 YEARS
25 YEARS
15 YEARS
Gordon Barrett
Alison Light Nita Mills Mary Adams Sharon Graham Yvonne Glasson Julie Bojarowski Johan Brentson Naseem Bano Maree Middlin Blossom Jesudhason Eva Smolka Colin McPhedran
Melanie Newman Lorraine Russell Sandra Edwards Bethnea Kelly Lagi Tusialofa Debra Southwood Feala Hunt Heather Alexander Silesi Talaisi Roseanne O’Connell Safirun Mohammed Louisa Anguna Sonja Taingahue Florence Amituanai Diane Wilson Joan Monaghan Edna Sulitas Alexandria Bailey Ann-marie Bryant Esmeralda Goncalves Deirdre Dallas Ake Ulutui Virginia Viray Maria Daquel Catherine Goodman Wen Dang Helen Williams
44 YEARS Valda Tyack Marianne Butler
41 YEARS Kim O’Leary
40 YEARS Barbara Singh
35 YEARS Robyn Porter Dianne Acworth
30 YEARS Helen Hemmingsen Pauline Connors Susan Goodsall Rosanna Lucariello Cathie Roberts
20 YEARS Soo Chan Joy Mullane Fiona Alexander Meri Porteous Nofoimuli Prescott Elizabeth Gilbert Marilyn Dowrick Glenys Bondzulic Louise Peirce Robert Emery Gracie Costantini Liz Cummins
Ellen Frajer Surender Bangia Marilyn Takoko Cheryl Lewis Genevieve Clarkson Stephanie Gleeson Denise El Deeb Jason Ibrahim Susan Cowling
10 YEARS Alexsandra Kupis Sharon Matetaka Jayne Hore Tamira Faithfull Kathleen Rawiri Sandra Turnwald Karyn Brown Angela Hastings Michele Wessing Helen Brain Wendy Capewell Justine Scott Gretta Cowley Cherylyn Cameron Bronwyn Heath Dawn MacPherson Leonor Martinez
Carolyn Ditfort Genevieve Rudduck Elma Turnbull Maureen Mihaere Janine Kokiri Ana Palei Kerry Smith Hope Turnbull Christopher May Angela Carse Maryellen Woller Paola McCallum Joanne Eddington Naho Murphy Deepak Sharma Frederick Talarico Angela Edwards Monique Bourke David Powrie Winifred Bulger Julie Ashworth Tracey Burville Maria Dakkour Nooroa Akatapuria Kerry Johnson Cynthia Smith Savka Mijatovic Gail Elliott Raad Malachi
Sholeh Callaghan Katheryn Williams Conrad Warren Kalina Manauahetau Glenys Plews Aaron Grace Nayoma Nagahawatta Kim Tio Leigh Downes Jennifer Foley Benjamin Morrison Melinda Barlow Usaiwevhu Munyengeterwa Joyce Main Carol Wilson Karen Jones Julian Murphy Michelle Gallina Sarah Capdor Sam Dring Brigetta Palmer Patricia Goodwin Adam Yasa Kimberley Abbott Heather Richards Olivia Fakaosikimuli Marlene Blair Uatara Kairo Ian Baker BEAT | 31
Compare your heart age against some of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top cricketers. Join our Australian cricketers who recently took the heart age check and see how your heart age compares to your real age. It takes only 60 seconds. To take the check and learn what you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease, go to bupaheartage.com.au
bupaheartage.com.au