F“ or a Rising Corporate Empire, Wellness is the Key”
TheglobalWellnessIndustryisrisingatahighrate.Nowadays,peoplearebecomingmoreandmore consciousabout/regardingtheirhealth.Ahugenumberofindividualsarevisitingthehealthcarecenters, gyms,healthclasses,dietary&nutritionalconsultants,andmanyotherwellness-focusedpracticesona dailybasis.Peoplearemakingsports,apartoftheirdailycurriculum.Accordingtovariousresearches,the demandofroutinehealthcheck-upisincreasingrapidly,andasperthenecessity,corporateworldis steppingwiththeflowtowardswellness.
Theorganizationsareacceptingthedemandofwellnessprogramsforwhichtheyareconductingseveral typesofactivitysessionsattheirworkplacesthatrefreshestheiremployee’smindandinspiresthemto workagainwithaclearobjective.Variousorganizationsaretakingactionsregardingwellnessoftheir employeesbyconductingdifferentwellnessprogramsandmakingitmandatoryforeachandevery employee.Thisstepofemployershasshownanoticeableshiftinthebehavioroftheemployees.This behavioralchangeintheemployeesiseventuallyhelpingtoimprovetheproductivityandgrowthrateof theorganizations.
MeditationandDelayedGratificationalsoplaysakeyroleinwellnessindustry.Bothoftheseactivities simplifiesthelifeofanindividualwhetherit'sanemployeroranemployee.Everymindisdifferentbut meditationhelpstoincreasetheabilityofeachofthem.DelayedGratificationtheoryworksonthe principleofthehumantendencyofmaintainingpatienceamidstprovokingsituations.
Delayedgratificationimpliesthat‘Holdingtheurgeforaninstantgratificationisnotjustthekeyto wealthbutcivilizationitself.’Or,wecansayhavingthebehaviorofpatienceleadstosuccesswhich helpstheemployeestofocusanddedicatethemselvestotheirwork.Itbarsthemistakestheymade duetotheimpatiencetocompleteandrevealthestressofworkinashortperiodoftime.This behaviorcanbegeneratedwiththemeditationtoo.Itmakestheindividualpsychologicallystrong andimprovestheabilitytoworkintheconditionofextremepressureandincreasethedesiretolearn moreevenintheworstsituationsontheworkfloorandintheirlifeaswell.
In2015,statisticsof Global Wellness Economy Monitor reflectedaworthofUS$3.7trillion transactionsinglobalwellnessindustryandatrecent,healthexpendituresareabout$7.5to$8trillion globally.Severalfirmsarealsolistingtheirpresencetowardsthewellnessprogram’srequirements. TheyareexpendinganestimatedworthofUS$50billionforworkplacewellnessprograms.Itis expectedtogrow7percentannuallytill2025.
Sowithgreatenthusiasm,InsightsSuccesshasshortlisted“The10BestCorporateWellness ServiceProvidersof2018”.FeaturingourcoverstoryisDynamicDNALabswhichservesglobally withitsexclusiveDNAtestingsolutions.Itisequippedwithateamofexpertsandresearcherswho maintainsthefirm’spositionalongwithitsqualityandstandardswiththeirskillsandwider knowledgeoftheirjob.Thecompanyaimstorevolutionizethesectorofgeneticsthroughits moleculartools,expertsandresearchstudies.Itsprofessionalsbelievethateveryonedeservesto know&understandaboutthemselves,theirabilities,behavioralchangesinthemselvesandtheir familymembers.ItleadstotheneedofDNAtestingandanalysisonthechangeintheirDNA structureaspertheirbehavioralchange.
ThemagazinelistingalsoincludesDynamicHealthStrategies,whichofferstoolsandexpertiseto managehealthdatatoimproveemployeehealth,lowercostsandimprovethepatientexperience; inKinSocialFitness,whichisanonlinetoolthathelpsrunfriendlyfitnesscompetitionsand promoteahealthylifestyle,andcanbeusedasanadditionalinstrumentforcorporatewellness facilitation;MoneyStartsHere,whichspecializeinfinancialwellnessandfinancialliteracy programsthatfocusoneverydayfinancialskills,healthinsurance,financialproductsandemployersponsoredbenefits,U.S.PreventiveMedicine,whichisaglobalpreventivehealthmovement focusedonsavinglivesandmoneybykeepingpeoplehealthyandbettermanagingchronic conditionsbeforetheybecomecritical,USHealthCenterhastakenhealthriskanalyticstoanew levelusingaproprietarybest-evidencedscientificprocessthatanalyzesdiseaserisk,claims,provider performance,futureforecastsandvalue-basedreimbursement,StepJockeyisadigitalhealthand propertybusinessdedicatedtoencouragingwellnessandphysicalactivityintheworkplace, Optimityprovidessolutionsthatsupportmental,physicalandemotionalhealthforbusyindividuals.
Let’sturnoverandhaveaneyefurther!
Ishan Mittal
DynamicDNALabswasestablishedin2015asa
DNAresearchandtestingfacility,headquarteredin Springfield,MO(Missouri).Theprimarygoalof thecompanyatthetimeofestablishmentwastoadvance thefieldofgeneticsthroughhigh-impactresearchstudies, usingsophisticatedmoleculartoolsandastaffofhighly trained&brilliantscientists.ThisiswhatDynamicDNA Labsdid,andthisiswhatitcontinuestodo,andjustlike everygrowingorganization,DynamicDNALabshas evolvedandadaptedtoitsenvironment.
DynamicDNALabsmaintainsitspassionandengagement inresearchandliteraturepublication,howeveritsfocushas shiftedtomoreofadirect-to-consumer,healthandwellness centeredbrand.Inadditiontoresearch,thecompanyoffers avarietyofDNAtestingproductsthataimtohelp individualsdiscoverthemselvesbyexploringtheirgenetic codeandusingittotheiradvantage.Themissionandgoal ofDynamicDNAistopromotepositivechangeinpeople’s lives,onesequenceatatime,ultimatelyleadingtoa healthier,happierandmoreproductivesociety.
DynamicDNALabsprovidesuniqueservices.Asitisa researchlabandaDNAtestinglabaswell,DynamicDNA Labsconductsallofitstestingin-house,anddoesnot outsourceanyofitswork.Itpromisesandassuresthatit willneversellordistributeitscustomers’datainany situation.
Inadditiontoitsresearchsolutionsandcapabilities includingDNAsequencing,geneexpression,contamination studies,epigeneticanalysis,fluorescentandelectron microscopy,microbialidentificationetc.,DynamicDNA Labsoffersawiderangeofdirect-to-consumergenetic testingproductsincluding:
PersonalizedMedicineReporting:PersonalizedMedicine (alsoknownasPharmacogenomicsor“PGx”)utilizes geneticanalysistodeterminehowapersonwillreactto differentmedications.ThismedicalDNAtestingvirtually eliminatesthepossibilityofadversedrugreactions, eliminatingthetrial-and-errorapproachtoselectingan effectivemedicationanddecreasingtheriskoflifethreateningsideeffects.
DNANutritionPanel:ThenutritionDNAtestwillhelpto discoveroptimaldiettypeforweightloss;reactionsto gluten,caffeine,alcohol,andlactose;predispositionsfor metabolicrate,cholesterol&bloodsugar;anddetermine nutritionalneedsforvitamins&folate.
DNAFitnessPanel:ThefitnessDNAtestwillhelpto discoverthebestexerciseprogramforweightloss;key traitsformuscleenergy,recovery,andfatigue;insulinand
Truth - more precisely, an accurate understanding of reality - is the essential foundation for producing good outcomes.”
– Ray Dalio, Principles: Life and Work
‘‘
bodyfatresponsetoexercise;andtraitsforaerobic capacity,nitricoxide&vascularfunction.
DNASkinPanel:TheskinDNApanelhelpsyou optimizeyourskincareroutinewithtargeted treatments,maintainhealthierskinwithlifestyleand dietaryimprovements,treatskinconditionstowhich oneisgeneticallysusceptible,andcorrectnutritional deficienciesthatimpactskinhealth.
AncestryTesting:AncestryDNAtestingoffersan unprecedentedwindowintothepast,allowingan individualtouncoverhis/herheritageinawaythat notraditionalresearchmethodcancompare. Whethertheoneisjuststartingtoinvestigatehis/her heritage,orareaseasonedgenealogist,theseDNA findingsopenadoortohis/herfamilyhistory.
PaternityandFamilialTesting:Paternitytesting canbedonebyusingtheHumanIdentification (HID)process.HIDtechnologyprovidesthe capabilityofdeterminingawide-rangeofhuman relationships.Thisincludespaternitytesting,siblingshiptesting,unknownsampleidentification,and infidelitytesting.Peoplenolongerhavetoallow naggingquestionstolingerintheirmind.Withthis technologyandscientificexperts,onecangetthe neededanswers.
DNAPortraits/Artwork:Therearemanywaysto depictfamilyandnobetterwaytodisplay interconnectednessandpreserveindividualitythan bycreatingafamilyDNAportrait.Beingableto comparethegenesthataresharedbetweenparent andchildonacanvasdisplaysaninsightfulglimpse intothebiologyofsomeone’sfamily.
AustinO’Reilly,Founder&ScientistofDynamic DNALabs,receivedhismaster’sdegreein MolecularBiologywithanemphasisingenetics fromTexasChristianUniversityin2010andthen movedontoworkinacrimelaboratoryinsouth FloridaasaDNAAnalyst.Hisjobwastoanalyze DNAevidencefromcrimescenes,comparethe profilestosuspectsamples,andtestifyasanexpert witnessincriminalcourtastohisfindings.He movedbacktohishometownofSpringfield,MO,to takeaResearchScientistpositionfortheCenterfor BiomedicalandLifeSciencesatMissouriState University,primarilyfocusingonneurologicalcell changesinresponsetovariousdrugsandstimuli.His passionforresearchanddiscoveryisrooteddeeply inthefoundationofDynamicDNALabsandisvery evidenttodayintheongoingresearchprojectsand literaturepublicationstheycontinuetopursue.
O’Reillysaid,“The future of preventative healthcare is in advanced molecular testing. Our goal is to promote positive change in lives around the world by utilizing cutting-edge DNA technology”
Asanactiveadventurer,athleteandscientist,combined withyearsofresearchandself-bio-hacking,O’Reilly’s visionforexpandingintotheDNAtestingworldcamefrom thefirsthandrecognitionthatnotwopeoplearealike.There wasamassiveundertakingofgenome-wideassociation studies,alsoknownaswholegenomeassociationstudy (WGAstudy,orWGAS),whichareobservationalstudiesof agenome-widesetofgeneticvariantsindifferent individualstoseeifanyvariantisassociatedwithatrait, whichtothisdayarestillsheddinglightonthemilliondollarquestionof“whatmakeseachofusunique?”It’s beenaslowprocess,butDynamicDNALabsisnowarmed withthenecessarydatatoconnectgenotypetophenotype. ThisunderstandingallowsO’Reillytomakesignificant contributionsinarangeofareasincludingmedication response,nutrition,fitness,ancestry,personality,skincare, andmanyothers.
ThebiggestchallengeDynamicDNALabsfacesis conveyingtheutilityandvalueofDNAtesting.The companybelievesthatskepticsarequicktosaythatthe resultsarenotaccurateorthattheresearchisnotquitethere yet,butinresponsetobothofthosecriticisms:(1)The testingitprovidesisproventobemorethan99%accurate; and(2)Theliteratureitusestodrawitsconclusionisbased onyearsofscientificresearchandpeer-reviewedjournal articlesthathavebeenacceptedintothescientific communityasknowledge.
AnotherchallengethatcomesinfrontofDynamicDNA Labsisthecostofthetest.DynamicDNALabsisvery competitivelypricedintheindustry;theaveragepricefor
itstestingpanelsis$149.Whenitcomestoprovidingtests forcorporationsandwellnessprograms,it’simportantthat itoffersanaffordableanddiscountedpackage,fully acknowledgingthefactthatnoteveryonehasthatlevelof expendableincome.Forthisreason,DynamicDNALabs incentivizescorporatewellnessusebyextendinga significantdiscounttoemployeesofthecorporationsithas partneredwith.Theendgoalisgettingtothepointwhere corporateexecutivesfullyunderstandtheeconomicand productivevaluethatDNAtestingcanhavefortheir companyandworkforce,realizingthatvalue,and subsequentlyofferingtocoveraportionorallofthetesting costfortheiremployees.
O’Reillystates,“I think we’re a number of years away from those latter scenarios, but the good news is that more and more research is being done every day into the utility and value of the testing, which will in time turn the tide towards a more wellness-centric corporate world. It’s all about creating awareness and continuing to share the countless success stories we get to hear so often. We are getting there!”
DynamicDNALabsisofferingitshealth-centricDNA panelstolargecorporationsasapartofaCorporate Wellnessinitiative.Specifically,theDNANutritionTest, DNAFitnessTestandPersonalizedMedicineReportingare thethreepanels,asperthecompany,aremostusefulfor promotingahealthy,happyandproductiveworkplace environment.Withavastamountofresearchandliterature supportingtheinformationintheirreports,theteamof DynamicDNALabsisconfidentthattheseproductstruly unlockaknowledgebasewhichiscrucialforemployeesto operateattheirmaximumpotential.Thedownstreameffects foracompanyarewidespreadandextremelypositive, rangingfromreducedhealthcarecoststoincreased productivityandhappiness.Therehavebeenseveralstudies thatshowthevalueofimplementingDNAtestinginthe corporatewellnessspace,withonestudyshowinga reductioninemployerhealthcarecostsby$122per employee,permonth,aswellasdecreasedlevelsof triglycerides.
DynamicDNALabsofferscomplimentaryconsultationsto reviewthereportswithitsclients,ongoingsupportafterthe testiscomplete,andfollowuprecommendationsonthe frequentlyaskedquestionof,“What to do next?”
“
At first, I was unsure what to expect with my Fitness and Nutrition DNA testing. As someone who struggles to be motivated to exercise as well as eating well balanced, the more guidance I have to a healthy lifestyle is a great motivator to me. The process was quite simple, and I was
If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be research, would it?
– Albert Einstein
‘‘
able to get my test results quicker then they stated. The real highlight of this company is in the results. It is not a simple 8 page report. For my two tests, I received over 50 pages of data to live a healthier lifestyle based on my DNA. All of a sudden, my current diet of low-carb was not what my DNA says I should be...I should focus on low-fat. I have been working on cardio, but my DNA is responsive to HIIT training. After one month, by changing my nutrition as well as my exercise schedule, I have been able to lose 8 pounds. I was very happy with my investment as I am not trying to see what works for me; I know better what should work for me.”–JenniferColwell,Springfield,MO
“When I think of companies that are innovative and at the leading edge of their industry, Dynamic DNA Labs is at the top of my list which is a very forward thinking organization that has a bright future. Keep up the great work!”–ChaseBanta, Springfield,MO
“I’d like to thank everyone at Dynamic DNA Labs for helping add to the quality of life for my nephew and his family. My nephew was born with CP and Autism...and after years of being treated with various combinations of medications with little or no "good" effects we reached out to Dynamic DNA Labs for help. The research with regard to how the human body reacts positively or negatively to medications or combinations of medications helped relieve our nephew’s sometimes over animated mood swings. The researchers worked with his doctors to determine which medications his body could process and which ones he could not. The result is a night and day difference in his and his families’quality of life. We cannot thank them enough.”–PeteMaxwell,Denver,CO
“Amazing information about your individual characteristic and traits... especially the Medicine Panel, which tells you which medicines work for you and which don’t, as well as dosages for your DNA type. It provides tons of interesting and useful info in the Fitness and Nutrition panel reports. It’s totally simple too!! Very service minded lab and not hard to do, plus its permanent information you can use forever.”–TriciaHeadley,St.Louis,MO
DynamicDNA Laboratories,LLC. dynamicdnalabs.com
DHSGroup dhsgroup.com
AustinO’Reilly
Founder&Scientist
DynamicDNALabsisastate-of-the-artgeneticslabthat specializesinadvancedDNAtesting.
JimPritchett CEO
inKinSocial FitnessPlatform inkin.com
MoneyStartsHere moneystartshere.com
ZaraMartirosyan Co-founder&CEO
DHSGroupisadynamic,trustworthypartnerintheworldof employeebenefitsandwellnesssolutionshelpingbrokersstand tallerandlookbetterinfrontofemployersseekingmorefrom thebrokercommunity.
inKinSocialFitness,isanonlinetoolthathelpsrunfriendly fitnesscompetitionsandpromoteahealthylifestyle,andcanbe usedasanadditionalinstrumentforcorporate wellnessfacilitation
DeniseWinston Founder&CEO
MoneyStartsHerespecializeinfinancialwellnessandfinancial literacyprogramsthatfocusoneverydayfinancialskills,health insurance,financialproductsandemployer-sponsoredbenefits.
Newtopia
JeffRuby CEO
Newtopiaisaprecisionhealthcompanyfordiseaseprevention thatwasbornoutoftheneedtorethinksickcareandinspire individualstolivehealthiereveryday.
Optimity
JaneWang CEO StepJockey
ZarirVakil CEO
Optimityprovidessolutionsthatsupportmental,physicaland emotionalhealthforbusyindividuals.
StepJockeyisadigitalhealthandpropertybusinessdedicatedto encouragingwellnessandphysicalactivityintheworkplace.
U.S.PreventiveMedicineisleadingaglobalpreventivehealth movementfocusedonsavinglivesandmoneybykeepingpeople healthyandbettermanagingchronicconditionsbeforethey becomecritical.
GavinQuinnies President&CEO
ToriTomlinson CEO
USHealthCenterhastakenhealthriskanalyticstoanewlevel usingaproprietarybest-evidencedscientificprocessthat analyzesdiseaserisk,claims,providerperformance,future forecastsandvalue-basedreimbursement.
USWellness’sapproachfocusesnotonlyonphysicalactivity andnutrition,butallfacetsofpersonalwell-being,including physical,emotional,andfinancial/careerandcommunity/social well-being.
Everybusinessownerandexecutivecomestothe realizationandfearthattheydon’tknowwhatthey don’tknowatsomepointinthegame.Toleap beyondthisfundamentalhurdle,wiseleadersleanon expertstohelpfillinthegap.ExpertssuchasCPAs, attorneys,bankers,mentors,andconsultantsareroutinely soughtbysuccessfulbusinessownersforguidance,advice, andsupportthatcanbepromptlymadeeffective.Gapsin businessareessentiallyanalyzedtodeterminethebest, quickest,simplest,ormostcost-effectivesolution,whichis thendevelopedandfinallyimplementedbyconsultantsin variousnicheseveryminuteoftheday.
Consultingisabigindustryforareason.Businesseshavea highriskoffailure.Failureiseasy,andfailureishard. With theassistanceofaconsultant,businesseshaveamuch betterchanceofsurvival.Let’stakealookathow consultingcanworkateverystageofacompany.
Thisstageofabusinessisfilledwithpassionanddreams. Theowneristypicallyatechnicianwithintheindustry breakingfreefromtheconstraintsoftheirbossorisa dreamerofgreatthingsingeneral.Problemsarisewhenthe manycomponentsofrunningabusinesstherightway interfereandbogdownthissolopreneur.Seeminglysimple, buthighlyimportant,responsibilitiessuchasaccounting, operations,andmarketingcanquicklyoverwhelmandlead tofailure.
Bringinginaconsultantatthisstageorpriortostartupcan savethesolopreneurfromatremendousamountofstress. Theconsultantcanwalktheownerthroughthehurdlesof businesswitheaseandexperience.Establishingsystems, creatingprocedures,andbuildingplansforsalesand marketingwillpreparethebusystart-upforsuccessful growththroughtothesmallbusinessphase.
Mom&PopShopsarewhatwerefertosmallbusinesses with1-25employees.Thismaybeasmallgenerational businessoragrowingstart-upthatishiringfriendsand familytohelpgetthejobdone.Oneday,thegoalsbecome toolargeandtheownerstakeonmorethantheycanhandle inanefforttogrow.Whattheseownersdon’trealizeisthat theyneedtohavedefinedsystemsinplace,alongwith communication,leadership,andagrowthplantomove beyondMom&PopShopstatustoSmallBusinessstatus withoutsufferingcollapse.
Thesmallbusinesstypicallyhas1-100employeeswhich mayalsoincludemanyfamilyandfriends.Somesystems areinplace,yettherelacksorganizationand communicationleadingtheownerdownapathof“too manychiefs”ornotenoughoversight.Atthisstage, businessownersmaydiscovertheyhavealotofpeople doingthesamething,noformalprocessesandalotoffires toputout.Stressonceagaintakesholdofthebusiness ownerinawaythatmaymakethemquestionclosingshop andgoingbackintotheworkforce.
Consultingatthesestagesrequirein-depthanalysisof wherethecompanycurrentlyexistsonthespectrumand identifyinggapsinthefoundationoftheorganizational structure.Analysiswillrequirealookatfinancial performance,operationsworkflowandprocesses,systems integrationandutilization,humanresourcessuiteof knowledgeandprocedures,centralizedstandardoperating procedures,marketingplansandstrategy,andmore. Analyzingeachcomponentofthebusinesswillbringto lighttoplayerandsecondaryissuesthattheconsultantwill prioritizetomatchurgencyandeffectiveorganizational modelingforproperimplementation.Businessowners shouldexpectthisprocesstotakesometime,butintheend
AprilSalsbury,MBAistheowner ofSalsbury&Co.,abusiness managementconsultingfirm.After growinganorganizationfrom15 employeesto100employeesand sevenlocations,including internationaldistributionand workinginlegislationforindustry oversightandaccreditation,she believedherexperienceasaCEO anda“builder”couldhelpsmall businessownersavoidcertain hurdlesandgainvaluableinsight.
thebusinesswilloperatelikeawell-oiledmachineready forgrowth.
TheMid-sizeBusinesshassuccessfullyidentifiedtheneeds ofagrowingbusiness.Mostcompaniesofthissize (101-999employees)andoftheEnterprisesize(1,000+ employees)haveestablishedpoliciesandprocedures, humanresources,systemsintegrationwithmaximized utilization,andhaveaplantomoveforward.Theseareas willexperienceongoingexpansionenhancementovertime. Mid-sizecompanieswillstarttodepartmentalizeandcreate anexecutiveteamforimprovedoversightandstrategy development.ProblemsMid-sizecompaniesfaceare keepingeveryoneworkingtowardthesamegoal, communication,effectiveleadershipandmanagement development,mergersandacquisitions,continuous improvementofsystemsandoperationalworkflowand recruitingforlongevityallwhilestayingontopoftheirnext strategicmoveandpacingchange.Enterprisescontinueto refineandsiloroleswithinthecompany;howeverthey experiencemanyofthesameissuesamid-sizecompany does.
AtMid-sizeandEnterpriselevel,Consultantsarebrought intoacompanyonaprojectbasisandwillbefocusedona
nicheofservice.Thisiswhenthe:BrandingConsultantis broughtintodevelopabrandorrevitalizeabrandfora segmentofthebusiness;LeanSpecialistsarebroughtinto examineonesegmentofthemanufacturingprocess;System AnalystisbroughtintocreatefunctionalAPIstoconnect the25softwareprogramsusedbythecompanytoprevent errorsandreducetimewastedonduplicatingentries;and possibly,Coachesarebroughtintodevelopamid-level managementteam.
ThereisaneedandaplaceforConsultantsateverystageof business,evenbeforethefirstsignsoffailure. Bringinga Consultantintothecompanyearlierintheprocesswill makethetransitiontothenextbigstepeasierandthe long-termoutcomeofthebusinessmuchbetter.Although businessownersmayhaveadifficulttimejustifyingthe costofconsulting,especiallyiffundsarelimited,the desiredendresulthasgreaterpotentialtoberealizedina shortertimeframe.Companiesthathavesuccessfully workedwithconsultantsseethevalueoftheirworkinthe overallsuccessofthebusinessandoftenretainconsultants forfutureprojects.
Nowadaysthecorporatewellness marketisgrowingatasteadypace, withincreaseininclusionof corporatewellnessservices,duetothefactors suchasincreasinghealthcarecosts,corporate profit,andfocusonemployeeretention. Therefore,numerouscorporatewellnessservice providersinvariousindustryverticalshave startedimplementingwellnessprogramsfortheir clients’employees.DynamicHealthStrategies (DHS)Groupisoneofthem.
DHSGroupisatrustworthyserviceproviderintheworld ofemployeebenefitsandwellnesssolutions.Foundedin theyear1997andheadquarteredatHouston,Texas,its missionandpurposearesupportedbyoneprevailinggoalelevatingpopulationhealth.Itworkswithemployers,health plansandsolutionproviderstomanagethehealthdatainabetter wayinordertoimproveemployee’shealthandpatientexperience whileminimizingthecost.Thecompanyalsoprovideshealthcare analyticsconsultingservicestohelpemployerstoidentifyand implementsolutionstoachievetheirbenefitprogramobjectives.
DHSGroupoffersavarietyofcutting-edgetoolsandexpertisetothe marketthatgivesemployersandprovidersthekeyinsightsandboosts employees’engagement.Ontheotherhand,italsooffersthe employersafullyintegratedcorporatebenefitandwellnesssolution suiteknownas HealthSpective®.Thissuiteallowsthemto accesseverythingfromplandesign,benefitadministration, populationhealthanalyticstoacompletewellbeing system.
JimPritchett,theCEOofDHSGroupholds morethan30yearsofexperienceinstrategic planning,marketing,andoperationaldevelopment ofhightechcompaniesandvariousindustries includinghealthcare,oilandgasandaerospace.The breadthanddepthofexperiencegainedfromvarious industrieshashelpedDHStounderstandwhatemployers andtheiremployeesneedandthepossibilitiesfordramatically improvingthecurrenthealthcaresystemusingdataand technology.
® DHSGroup’sHealthSpective platformallowsemployers totakecontroloftheiremployeepopulationhealthdata, whichisoftenheavilyguardedbycarriersandotherdata vendors.Thisgivesemployersafullyintegratedandvendor neutralplatformtounderstandandmanagealltheessential workingpartstogether,tosuccessfullyimproveemployee populationhealthwhilereducingcosts.Usingthisplatform withitsconvenientsinglesign-onandintegrated dashboards,employerscanhaveaglimpseintotheirown employeepopulationhealthdataandgaincrucialinsights intotheiremployee’shealth,wellnessdecisionsandhow theyareutilizingthesebenefits.
Besides,partoftheDHSGroup’swellbeingsystemisan affordablewearabledeviceknownasMovband,with programsincludingteamchallengestoengageemployees ® andspurphysicalactivity.Herein,theHealthSpective integratesdatafromanemployee’sMovband,orfrommost ofthefitnesstracker/wearable.
Recently,thecompanystartedofferingadualbenefitto employers,employeesandtheirproviderswiththesupport ofits DHS SecurePass app whichgivespatientstheability tocheckintomedicalappointmentsviaakiosk,biometric readerorwebsite,andtoeasilysharetheirhealthdata.This isusedtodramaticallyimprovethepatientexperienceand alsohelpsproviderswhilespeedinguptheirregistration process.
Inthefuture,fortighterconnectivityandexpanded offerings,DHSGrouphasplansthatcan allowhospitalsto utilizeSecurePassappinconjunctionwithemployerswho ® areusingDHSGroup’sHealthSpective platform.Further, ® bylinkingwithHealthSpective,healthsystemscanfind andattractemployersandclientsfordirectcontracting purposes.
ThefutureofCorporateWellnessisgreatlypersonalized. Withtheinventionofappsandsmartphones,employeesare expectingbothconvenienceandamorepersonalized experience.Hence,DHSGroupisdesigningallitssolutions withpersonalizationatthetopofitsmindandfocusingon engagingemployeesandimprovingthepatientexperience.
“[Students] having a goal of activity to achieve every day required them to be creative in how they were active. This skill is something that they can take with them beyond the last days of the semester, which is essentially what we are trying to do with [Physical Education] courses at this level. Further, With the HealthSpective® platform and accompanying Movbands, Auburn students are able to sync device data for physical education instructors and administrators to view, when they participate in the Active Auburn physical education course”–Instructor,Auburn University.
“[SecurePass] has worked great in a very busy outpatient setting. We’re looking to implement in other areas of the hospital where registration is done.”-DaphneJacquet, HardinHealthPatientAccessManager
Your health and well-being is your most crucial asset. We help you take care of it in a fun and engaging way.
InaninterviewwithInsightsSuccess,Zara Martirosyan,theCo-founder&CEOof inKinSocialFitnessPlatform, sharesherexperienceandprovides resourcefulinsightsaboutinKinandits products,andthemottooftheorganization alongwithitsfuturegoalsinrevolutionizing thewellnessindustry.
Belowarethehighlightsoftheinterview conductedbetweenZaraandInsightsSuccess: Giveabriefoverviewofthecompany,its uniquenessanditsvision&whatarethe cuttingedgeservices/solutionsofferedbyinKin SocialFitness?
FoundedinOctober2014,inKinisadigitalplatformthat helpsuserstostarttakingcareoftheirmostcrucialasset whichistheirhealthandwell-beingthroughtrackingtheir fitnessandhealthparametersandgettingmoreactiveand healthieronadailybasisthroughvariousengagingactivities andonlinechallengesandcompetitions.
inKinhelpsusersto: Ÿ Learnmoreabouttheirhealthandchangetheireverydaybehavior bymonitoringtheirfitness&healthdatafromvariousfitness devicesandapps.
Becomemoreactivethroughsocializingwiththeirfamily,friends,and co-workers,andgetmotivatedthroughfriendlycompetitions, gamification,andrewards.
OurCorporateWellnesssolutionisasimpletouse andefficienttoolfor: Ÿ Runningfriendlyfitnesscompetitionsandhelping Ÿ employeestotracktheirwell-beingandpromoteahealthy lifestyleinthecompany Ÿ Virtualteambuildingandstaffengagement; Ÿ Corporatewellnessfacilitation.
Weknewitwasworkingwhenoneofthe cofounderslostalmost40kilossincewestarted workingontheproject.
Zara Martirosyan Co-founder & CEO
Initially,wewantedtocreateaplatformthat wouldallowpeopletomonitortheirlovedones’ healthdataandreceivealertsiftheirfamily membersorclosefriendsweren’tfeelingwell. However,werealizedthatthemarketofmedical wearableswasnotmatureenoughandtherewereno accurate24/7affordableend-userdevices.So,we’vedecided tostartwithfitness,asfitnessandmedicineare2sidesofone coin,where,fitnessispreventinghealthproblems,whereasmedicine dealswiththem.
Ourplatformhelpsuserstogathertheirhealthandfitness informationfromdifferentdatasourceswhilegettingextra motivationfromthecommunityandfriendlycompetitions amongfriends,familyand,ofcourse,co-workerswithina corporatewellnessspace.
ThebestthingaboutinKinisthatit’sfreeforindividual users!Ourcorporatewellnessplatformisalsoavailablein bothfreeandbusinessplans,makingoursolution affordableforcompaniesandinstitutionsofdifferentsizes andbudgets.Thatisespeciallyvaluableforcharityevents andinitiatives.
Describetheexperiences,achievementsorlessonslearnt thathaveshapedthejourneyofthecompany.
inKinisourfirststartup,sowehadtolearnandadaptfast. Forinstance,whenwejuststarted,wewantedtobuildas manyfeaturesaspossibleandmakethemasperfectasit got.Thenwerealizedthatthisapproachwouldn’ttakeus anywhereandthatweneedtoreleasenewfeaturesas quicklyaspossibletogetthefeedbackfromourcustomers insteadofbuildingsophisticatedfeaturesthatno onewoulduse.
Hence,wefirstbuiltacommunityforourB2Cusersand then,basedonthat,createdawellnessplatformsolution thatallowslaunchingaprivatewellnessspaceforgroups.
inKinisoftenusedforcharitablecausesaswell,helping teamstoliterallystepuptheirgameandraisingfundsfor amazingandimportantcauses.
Whatarethechallengesfacedwhileproviding CorporateWellnessservicesandhowisinKinSocial Fitnessservingtotacklethem?
Oneofthemainchallengesthatwefaceisthelackof understandingofhowimportantdatatrackingand collectionis.Ourclientscometousbecausetheylikethe flexibilityandthevarietyofourmotivationtoolssuchas differentchallengesandcompetitionsmodes,duels,ranking system.Butwhatthevastmajorityofthemdonotyet understandisthatthecorevalueofplatformssuchasinKin isthedata-the before and after results.Gamificationand funwidgetshelpengageemployeesandinspirethemtoget healthier.Butit’sthedataanditsanalysisthatwillhelpHR managerstomeasurethesuccessofthecorporatewellness implementationand,forinstance,renegotiatepremiums withtheinsurancecompany.
Thatiswhyit’sessentialtocreatesustainableand longlastingcorporatewellnessprogramswithdatatracking andnotjustepisodicone-monthchallengesthatmaygivea
Your health and well-being is your most crucial asset. We help you take care of it in a fun and engaging way.
temporaryboostbutwon’tsignificantlyaffectemployees’ overallwell-being.
Whataccordingtoyoucouldbethepotentialfutureof CorporateWellnessservicesandhowdoesinKinSocial Fitnessenvisionsustainingitscompetency?
Corporatewellnessprogramsshouldhelpnotonlycreate awarenessandinspireemployeestoleadahealthier lifestylebutalsobeaimedatchangingemployees’ behavioralpatternsandhelpingdevelophealthyhabits throughmonitoringtheirvitalsandunderstandingtheir bodybetter.
Whenyouhaveallthatdataaboutyourself,youcanshareit withsuchpotentiallyinterestedthirdpartiesasinsurance companies,pensionfunds,doctorsandcarers,and concernedfamilymembers.
Wewillstrivetocreatemorefeaturesforemployees’ motivation,healthylifestyleeducationanddevelopment thatwillhelpbothcorporatewellnessfacilitatorstolaunch effectiveandengagingprogramseasilyandtheirstaffto changetheirbehavioralpatternswhenitcomestotaking careofthemostimportantthingeachandoneofushasourhealthandwell-being.Fitness Platform
Inculcating and Encouraging Healthy Habits
for
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The absence of pharma brands on social media creates a significant void of reputable healthcare information to aid
patients,” writesDawnLacallade,LiveWorld’sChiefSocialStrategist.
Socialmediainfiltratevirtuallyeveryfacetofanindividual’sdigitallife.Today,patientsareusingsocialmediaasamajor sourceofinformationandhealthcareresearch.Thus,itisessentialthatpharmacompaniesshouldbepresentonsocialmedia toprovidefullandaccurateinformationtotheconsumers.Tocomprehendhowsocialmediacanassistpatients,itiscrucial tounderstandwhatcompelspeopletousesocialmediaasasourceofinformation.
Socialmediaallowsinteractionamongpeoplewhichinvolvesexchangeandcreationofinformation.Itistheperfectconduit forpharmaceuticalcompaniestoconnectwiththeircustomers,patientsandphysicians.
Althoughthecommunicationofpharmaceuticalindustriesishighly regulated,theyaregraduallyadoptingsocialmediaplatformstoreachand interactwithconsumersandhealthcareprofessionals.Herearesomeof thetopsocialmediapracticestolookoutfor:
Severalmarketersthinkthattheirjobisfinishedoncethesalesteam takesover,butinreality,itisjustthebeginning.Thewaypeople experienceyourbrandwillimpactthewaytheythinkaboutyou,which willhaveanenormouseffectonthesuccessofyourcompanyin thelongrun.Devotingapartofthemarketingbudgetto nurturetheexistingclientelewillmaketheirexperience splendidandthuspromotebrandloyalty.Itisalsocrucial torespondwheneveryourbrandinmentionedpublicly, whetherpositivelyornegatively,whichwillhelp cultivateastrongandlastingrelationshipwithyour customers.Youngergenerationsareincreasingly withdrawingfromtraditionalsocialmediaplatforms andadoptingmoreinnovativechannelsthataremore intimateinthewayofcommunication.Tokeepupwith thischallenge,companiesneedtofindawaytoautomatethe processwhereverpossible.
Pharmacompaniesneedtodevelopcontentmarketingstrategiesthatmergeeach pieceofcontentoneverychannelwiththeirorganization’sobjectivesand customers’needs.Creatorsneedtohaveaclearbusinessobjectiveincludingthe valuethatwillbedeliveredtodistinctaudiences.Allcompaniesneedtohavea socialmediacomplianceofficerwhowillworkcloselywithacorporatelegal counselanddevelopacompletestrategyanddecideiftherewillbeconsolidated socialmediapostingorifindividualemployeeswillhavetheconsentto participate.Andlastly,itiscriticalthatallemployeesunderstandtheirrolein corporatesocialmediaandbetrainedontherules.
Pharmacompaniesshouldstopthinkingaboutcontentmarketingandsocialmediaas add-ons.Toboosttheiroutcomeforclients,contentandsocialmarketingneedtobeapart ofalmosteveryprogram.Todevelopafullyintegratedprogram,companiesneedtoinvolve influencersandcontentmarketersduringtheinitialstages.Implementinganorganized approachtocontentandmoderationwillnotonlyoptimizetheprocesses,butalsoaidinassuring authoritiesthatallthebasesarecoveredtoprotectandprovidevalueforthebrand.
Anindependentsurveydiscoveredthat72%ofsocialmediausersexpectresponsewithinan hourfromthebrandstheyfollow.Thishascausedbrandstostartheavilyinvestingincrossfunctionalsocialmediateamsthatcankeepupwiththeincreasingnumberofclientpings
everyday.Encouragingandincentivizingteammemberstosharebrandmessagesontheirownsocialmediaaccounts,is predictedtobeagame-changerinthecomingdays.Howeverthiscannotbeforced,itisessentialforemployeestowantto sharecompanyposts,andalongwiththisthecontenthastoresonatewiththeirownaudiences.
Influencermarketingwillcontinuetodevelopandbecomeanevenmoreestablishedpartofthestrategy.Currentlymany brandstryinfluencermarketingandfailasitisnoteasytofindeffectiveinfluencers.Additionaldatawillhelpinselection oftherightinfluencersandanalyzetheresultsfrominfluencercampaigns.Today,inhealthcare,influencersareoften regularpeople.Somearedirectlyaffectedbyadiseaseorarebeingtreatedwithaspecificproduct,whileothershave gainedalotofknowledgeaboutaconditionandareconsideredasSubjectMatterExperts.Thecommontrendistoselect someonewhohasanever-increasingcommunityoffollowerswhovaluetheiropinion.
Numerouscompaniesstillthinkofsocialmediaasmerelyamarketingtoolwhichisnottrueanymore.Consumerslearn aboutproductsondifferentsocialnetworksandseekcustomerserviceonmessagingchannels.Moreover,good storytellinghasalwaysbeenanessentialpartofeffectivemarketing.Butsocialmediaischangingthewayaudiences consumestoriesandpharmacompanieswillberequiredtokeepupwiththeevolutionofsocialstorytellingiftheywantto remainrelevant.
Yetthereisstillanoteofcautionwithcompliancebeingtheforemostpriorityofpharmaceuticalcompanies.Butas industriesarestartingtoadoptsocialmediawithoutclearregulatoryguidance,remainingcompliantwillbethemain challengetoface.
Everyonelovesawin-winsituation;the problemisthattheyaresohardtofind. Theemployer-employeetug-of-warover payandbenefitsisaprimeexampleofhowan advantageforonesiderequiresaconcession fromtheother.
However,thatisnotalwaysthecase.One woman’srevolutionaryapproachtodelivering incisive,high-impactfinancialwellness programsiselectrifyingworkplacerelations, boostingproductivity,andchanginglivesforthe better.
nameisDeniseWinstonandsheistheFounder andCEOofMoneyStartsHere.
Learning,Doing,Teaching Denisewasthrowninatthedeepend,livingonherownat theageof16.Theearlyseriesofreal-worldmoney challengesshefacedlaidthefoundationuponwhichshebuilta three-decadecareerinbankingandfinancialservices.
Asabanker,Denisehadextensiveinteractionswithpeoplefrom diversebackgroundsandfromeverysocioeconomicstatus.The encountersrevealedthattoomanypeopleshareanuncannilysimilar, misinformedapproachtofinances.Denisesimultaneouslydiscovered inherselfanaturalabilitytounraveltheseintricaciesforherclientsand empowerthemtomakebettermoneydecisions.
Itledhertorealizethatshecouldfomenttruefinancialfreedomandbring abouttangiblechangebyteachingthebasicsofpersonalfinance.Money StartsHerewasanaturalprogressionfromthatepiphany.
A PlatformLikeNoOther MoneyStartsHereisunlikeanyproductorservicethathas comebefore-itscloudplatformisastructured amalgamationofthemall.Itsfocusisoneducationand connectingemployeestothebenefitstheiremployer offersthroughaWorkplaceFinancialWellness Program.
Tofostermeaningfulfinancialhealth,Money StartsHereprogramsperformasafinancial resource,engagementtool,andmore.It comprisesaplatform,arangeofresources,and diversefinancialtopics.Oneofitsmostpopular componentsistheonlinevideocoursesthatrange from10minutestoonehour.
However,Denisehasbeencarefultoensuretheplatformis completelyagnosticandindependentofanyexternalproductor serviceprovidersthatwouldpresentaconflictofinterest.Her unwaveringmotivationisthewelfareofherclientsandtheir employees.
Her
Thetremendoussuccessithasachievedwithclientsstems fromitsvalueproposition,whichstraddlestheinterestsof bothemployeesandemployers.Organizationsmake massiveinvestmentsinbenefitsfortheiremployeesbut theirfullpotentialisrarely–ifever–unlockedbystaff.
MoneyStartsHeregiveseveryemployeeacomprehensive overviewofthefullrangeofemployer-sponsoredbenefits, includinghealthinsuranceandvoluntarybenefits.Itaffords everyindividualthepowertomakesmart,confidentmoney decisionsbasedonfactsanddata.
“Financialliteracyismoreimportantthanever,largely becausethesheervarietyofoptionscanbesoconfusing,” explainsDenise,“Withouttherightknowledgeandskillset, employeeslosepurchasingpowerandtheabilitytosecure basicneeds.Thiscanhaveadevastatingeffectonfamilies, schools,businesses,andcommunities.”
ThroughMoneyStartsHere,everyemployeeinthe organizationgainsinstantaccesstoalltheresourcesthe employerhasestablished.Itgrantsthemthefreedomto fullyutilizetheprogramsfortheiruniquefinancial circumstances.Thesystempresentsopportunitiestolearnto budget,savemoneyforemergencies,managedebt,and avoidpredatorylendingpractices.
Naturally,theresultingeasingofthefinancialburdenmakes forhappieremployeeswhounderstandandappreciatethe company’scommitmenttotheirwellbeing.This,inturn, translatesintoamoreproductiveworkplace,whichis conducivetothecompany’sprogress.
Suchobjectivesareinvaluableinanincreasingly competitivebattleforthebesttalent.Whenaninvestment oftime,effort,andenergyfromthecompanyisreadily apparent,itstrengthensemployees’senseofloyalty.
TheMoneyStartsHereformulaforsuccessisamultiprongedapproach.Thecentralthrustconsistsofan aggregatedoutlineofallcurrentemployeebenefits.Itis complementedwithadditionalwellnessproductsand servicesacompanyoffers.
Theplatformisanchoredincuttingedgetechnology, leveragingthepowerandreachofbigdatatorevealtrends inemployeeuptakeanduse.Usingaunifieddatastream, thecompanyovercomestheproblemofinformationand communicationoverload.
Allparticipationdataistransformedintoactionablecontent whichthecompanycanusetofocusitsinvestmentsin benefits.Thekeytakeawaysareclarityandsimplicity,two factorswhichareimperativetoimplementinganyplan, regardlessoforganizationorsize.
Meanwhile,employeesbenefitfromaresponsivesystem thatisgearedtotheirindividualpriorities.Assisting employeeswiththeirmostpressingfinancialchallengesis bynomeansaconceptinisolation.Itdramatically improvescommunicationandevenacceleratesoverallstaff participationinprograms.
Whenstaffmembersarehealthierandbetterunderstandand usetheirbenefits,thecompany’shealthcarecostsandtax liabilitycanbereduced.Asimilartrendoftenfollowswith disabilityandworkers’compensationclaims.
TheMoneyStartsHereplatformcontainsallthebasic budgeting,debtmanagement,andretirementtopicsbutthat isjustthesurfaceofitsrealvalue.Ithasbeendesignedwith anintegralengagementapproachtokeeplearners motivated,too.Itgivesthemtheabilitytochoosetheirown financialpathorjoinothersinmonthlyonlinegroup sessions.
Onceimplemented,agoodfinancialwellnessprogramwill triggeranalmostimmediatespikeinproductivityanda correspondingdropinhealthcareclaims.Collectively,these twofactorscanaccountforsavingsoftensofthousandsof dollars,tangibleresultsforeveryoneinvolved.
Conversely,delayingtheimplementationofaprogramwill exactatollonthecompanyandtheindividual.
Anycorporationororganizationcommittedtobuildinga strong,stableteamofemployeescannotaffordtolookpast suchcogentfactors.
We take an integrated approach to nancial wellbeing.
Today’sprofessionalsareseekinghelp tobuildpowerfulhabitsthat optimizestheirpersonaland professionalsuccesseveryday.Thebiggest obstaclewhenitcomestoimplementinga healthandwellnessprogramwithinany organizationistryingtomeetthechangesto themodernlifestyle&workpatterns. Today’smodernworkforcearethemost susceptibletovariouspopulationhealth problems,especiallywithtoday’sfinancial wellnessandmentalhealthissues.Whichiswhy it’simportantfororganizationstohaveanengaging healthandwellnesstoolthatwillpromotemoreusage andthatisaccessibleforalloftheirpeople.
Optimity,adigitalwellnessplatformproviderthatwork withinsurancecompaniesandalsoindependentlysupplies corporatewellnessservicestohelpensureoptimalhealthand well-beingofpeoplebymodernizingthewayconnectatwork, live,andplay.Itdeliversmicro-exercisesandhealthychallenges throughdigitalsolutionsandIRLexecution.Ithelpsbusypeople getholisticsupport:physicalexercise,smartnutrition,properrest, practicestressmanagementandfinancialwellnessthatfitswiththeir lifestyle.
Optimityisadigitalwellnessplatformthatiscreatingafuture whereproactivehealthisdata-driven,science-backed,and user-centric.Thecompanymakestechnologiesthatguard andprotectthehealthofitsusers.Thecorporate wellnessOptimitysystemhelpstoensurethe holistichealthandwellnessofemployeesby providingadigitalwellnesssolutionthatallows peopletoaccesscontent24/7andallowing themtopersonalizeittotheirspecificwellness needs.Theorganizationisthereforeproviding aholisticsolutionthatoffersmental,physical emotional,andfinancialwell-beingsupportfor itsusers.
OptimityAppisapockethealthcoachthatpeoplecan personalizeandprioritizetheirhealthandwellbeingneedsinorder toaccessthetoolsandresourcestomakethebesthealthychoicesfor
themselves.Thiswillhelpitsuserstograduallychange theirlifestylebychangingtheirhabitloopbyadopting newandhealthyhabitsinsteadoftheircurrentunhealthy ones.
Optimityprovidespersonalizedcoachingtoitsusersso theybuildhealthyhabitswithmicro-actionsseamlessly integratedintotheirexistingdailyroutines,mostlyby usingnativemobileappsandwearables.Thesemicroactionshelppreventcommonchronicdiseaseconditions andinjuriessuchasdepression,diabetes,obesity,heart disease,dementia,cancer,COPD,kidneydisease& workplaceaccidents.
Optimitybelievesinsupportingbillionsofpeoplein reachingtheirbeststateofbeing:physically,mentally, andprofessionally.Itsusersachievelongevitywithless stress.Optimityissaying“NO”tothestatusquo,andit helpsbusypeoplefindtimetodolittlethingsthatcreate powerfulhabitsfortheirideal,optimallifestyle.
Theorganizationoffersadynamicwellnessappandan adminportaltobeabletopullaggregateddatathat’s beeninputtedbytheuserfromtheuserside.Optimityis abletoleveragethisaggregatedatatomake recommendationsbasedontheirspecificneedsofthe organizationandtheiremployees.Theothertwofeatures ofOptimityaretheHealthRiskAssessment&Financial WellnessAssessment.Theaggregatedatacollectedfrom thesesurveyscanhelpcreateatargetedprogramthat addressestheissuesraisedfromtheemployees responses.
Optimity’sproprietaryalgorithmtargetsdifferentuser personaswiththeirmostrelevantcontent,usinganovel combinationofattributes(workcontext,wearables,life stageetc.)
Optimity’sCEO,JaneWang,isanoutgoingactive thinker,whostrivestodeliverimpactbydoingtheright thing.Sheisaninnovativeandambitiouspersonwho
The Optimity platform is well aligned with our mission to support employees in their daily work routines. This is our most highly-adopted program at over 80% employee participation!
– Sherry MacDonald CEO, CST Consultants
usesherknowledgeandpreviousexperiencesinhealth managementwithpatientsfromclinicalresearch.Her expertiseisinadherence,andhelpingpatientsprevent adverseeventswithdailymicro-interactions.Hergoalis tobringhervisiontolifebyhelpingtoprovidea proactiveapproachforhealththatcanhelpprevent chronicillnessbydetectingunhealthyhabitsthatleadto thesenegativeoutcomes.
“The Optimity platform is well aligned with our mission to support employees in their daily work routines. This is our most highly-adopted program at over 80% employee participation!” –SherryMacDonald,CEO,CST Consultants
“With its ease of use and unique configurability, Optimity provides great support to our holistic workplace wellness program. Our program adoption is 3x higher than the industry average!" –SharonJobity, VPofHR,OntarioCentresofExcellence www.myoptimity.com
Committedtoprovideobjectiveand trustworthyinformationonallaspectsof healthandwellness,StepJockeywas foundedin2013.Thecompanyisanevidencebasedbusinessandisfirmlyfocusedona ‘smallsteps’approachtoimprovedhealth. Thecompanywasseed-fundedbytheUK DepartmentofHealthtohelpcombat sedentarybehavior,oneofthebiggestsingle healthrisksforofficeworkers.Itisnowbacked byprivateinvestorsandhasafantasticportfolio ofhealth-consciousblue-chipemployerclients, rangingfrominternationalbanks,government departmentsandinstitutionsto prestigebuilding ownersandassetmanagersallaroundtheworld.
InaninterviewwithInsightsSuccess,CEOof StepJockey,Zarir(Zed)Vakil,hasshedsomeofthe interestingstoryrelatedtotheorganization.
So,belowarethehighlightsoftheinterviewbetweenZedand InsightsSuccess.
Giveabriefoverviewofthecompany,itsuniquenessandits vision.
StepJockeyisaleadingworkplacehealthandwellnesscompanythat hasbeenrevolutionizingemployeewellnessthrougharangeof powerful,engagingevidence-basedprograms.Ourworkinspires healthierfuturesinaclimatewheresedentarybehaviorisbecomingan increasinglyprominenthealthepidemic.
Withtheadvancesintechnologyoverthelastfewdecades,morejobs havebecomedesk-basedwithlimitedamountsofphysicalactivity expendedthroughouttheworkingday.Thisleadstohealth problemssuchascardiovasculardiseaseandtype2diabetes, evenwhenregularexercisetakesplaceoutsideofwork.
OurmissionatStepJockeyistoreducethehealth implicationsofsedentarybehaviorintheworkplace andbeyond,throughablendofsolutionsincluding education,engagementandincentivisation.We intendtobecomegloballyadmiredacrossour industryforourinnovativeworkplacehealth solutions.
Whatarethecutting-edgeservices/solutions offeredbyStepJockey?
Weuseinnovativetechnologyincludingfun, motivationalappsandgamificationtoengagewith employeesonalevelthatotherworkplacehealth companiesstruggletoreach.Ourtechnologyworksaround thebasisofthenudgetheory,whichhasdriventangiblesuccess inincreasingphysicalactivity.
Thereisdetailedmedicalresearchintothehealthconsequencesof sedentarylifestyles,inspiringustodevelopworkplacehealthsolutionsthat
Zarir (Zed) Vakil CEOgetprovenresults.FromourNFC-equippedSmartSignsto ourexcitingstairclimbingchallenges,webringanew dimensiontocorporatewellness.
Ourclientsandtheiremployeesloveourchallengeslike climbingMountEverestortheGreatWallofChina,which havebeenreallysuccessfulingettingpeopletochangetheir sedentaryhabits.Clientsareoftensurprisedwhentheysee themultiplebenefitsofourprogramsthatgoevenfurther thanincreasingphysicalactivity.Ourchallengesandgames alsounearththecompetitivenatureofemployeesandcan helptobuildcross-site,cross-borderengagementthrough friendlyrivalryincludingleaguetables.
GiveadetaileddescriptionoftheCEO’sinfluenceover thecompanyandtheCorporateWellnessServices industry.
CEOZarirVakilbringsawealthofskillsandexperience tothecompany.Withovertenyearsofdelivering transformationalchangeprojectsacrossarangeof industries,runningseveralbusinessesandadvisingmany, heknowsthechallengesthatbusinessesfacein implementingnewprocessesanddevelopingcultures.
Zedisalsoanon-executiveDirectoratacutting-edge technologycompany.Hisknowledgeandexperienceatthe forefrontoftechnologicaldevelopmentshasbeenakey enablerinStepJockey’semergenceasaninnovatorinthe corporatewellnessservicesindustry.
Theindustryhasbeenslowerthanmanyotherindustriesin utilizingthelatesttechnologybutwithZed’sexperiencehe hashelpedtobuildateamthatleadsthewayinworkplace wellbeing.StepJockeyhasworkedwithclientsfromacross theworldtomakearealdifferenceinreducingsedentary behavior.
Describetheexperiences,achievementsorlessonslearnt thathaveshapedthejourneyofthecompany. InthefiveyearssinceStepJockeywasfounded,wehave learntsomeveryvaluablelessons.Whilstsocietyis generallybecomingmoreawareoftheseverehealth implicationsofsedentarylifestyles,thereisstillaverylong waytogoinchangingpeople’shabits.
Oneofourkeyachievementshasbeenincreasingthe awarenessoftheproblemsthatderivefromsedentary behaviorbutwehavealotmoreworktodoto.Wehave deliveredsomehugeresultsforourclientstotransform theirworkplaceandhittheirwellbeingobjectives.
Whatarethechallengesfacedwhileproviding CorporateWellnessservicesandhowisStepJockey servingtotacklethem?
ThereareanumberofbigchallengeswithCorporate Wellness.Firstly,withsomecompaniesthereisalackof
budgetforthisarea.AtStepJockey,weareableto demonstratetoourclientshowthebenefitsofourprograms justifyanycosts.Forexample,improvingworkplacehealth leadstoreducedabsenceswhichcansavethecompanyalot ofmoney.
Anotherchallengewehavecomeacrossisthatpeopleare verybusyinwork,tryingtohitdeadlinesandrushing betweenmeetingsetc.So,employeescaninitiallybe scepticalabouthavingenoughtimetobuildmorephysical activityintotheirworkingday.Wefullyunderstandthat peoplearebusyinwork,soourprogramsaredevelopedto makeeasy,incidental,non-disruptionalbehavioralchanges thatarenottimeconsuming.
Whataccordingtoyoucouldbethepotentialfutureof CorporateWellnessservicesandhowdoesStepJockey envisionsustainingitscompetency?
WiththeaddedpressureontheNHSrightnow,inthefuture thereisgoingtobeamuchbiggerfocusonCorporate Wellnessservicestoreducehealthepidemicsliketoomuch sitting.HavingbeenseedfundedbytheUKDepartmentof Health,weareworkinghardtosetthefoundationsfor improvingCorporateWellnessandwewillleadbyexample throughwellnessprogramsthatharnessinnovative technologyandourunderstandingofthechallenges companiesface.
ZedtheCEOofStepJockeystartedhiscareerwithmultinationalorganizationswherehecuthisteeth.Afteradecade withmultinationals,Zedjoinedaprivateequitycompany, whereheheldanInvestmentDirectorportfolio,aswellasa pivotalstrategicGroupHRDirectorrole.Afterdesigning sharedservicesfunctionsfortheGroup,Zedacquired venturefundinginternally,settinguphisownnew company,Worksource,andprovidingcompaniesaffordable commoditizedHRoutsourcingsolutionsandbusiness performanceconsultancy.
StepJockey transforms workplace wellbeing through innovative and evidence based activity programs. We aim to get the world healthier step by step.
ThegrowthofChinaandJapanasleading marketsforthePharmaandBiotechindustryhas madelanguageanimportantfactorfor companieslookingtobesuccessfulinglobalmarkets. Moreover,emergingmarketsinnon-Englishspeaking countriessuchasBrazil,RussiaandTurkeyhasonly increasedtheneedfor“StrategicLanguage Partnerships”.Navigatingthroughregulatory requirementsandClinicalTrialdocumentationinforeign languagesseemlikeadauntingtaskjustfromthesound ofit.Anincreasingnumberofcompaniespreferto outsourcethelanguagerequirementsinordertospeedup approvalsanddecreaserejections.
WiththecurrenttrendsinthePharmaandBiotech Markets,wesuspecttheneedtoonlyincrease.Thereare fourdefiniteareasthatpointtowardstheprominentrole oflanguageinthecomingyears.
SinceestablishedmarketsinUSandEuropehavevery littleroomforsmallerplayers,SMEsaregrowingmore confidentthatgrowingmarketsareabetterinvestment. PricingpressuresandslowergrowthmeansthatBig
Pharmacompaniesarealsoevaluatinguntappedmarkets. Amongthetopemergingmarkets,BRICeconomies standoutthemostwiththeprobableadditionofMexico andTurkey.WhileChinaisalreadycompetitive,the othersinthelistareviewedasgeographieswith tremendousopportunity.
However,growingeconomieshavetheirownchallenges. Underdevelopedinfrastructureanduniqueregulations meanthatentryandsuccessinthesemarketsaremore complexthantheymayseem.Seekingdrugapprovalsin differentgeographiesalsomeansthatPharmacompanies willhavetoprocessmultiplesetsofclinicaltrialsineach country.WiththeprobableexceptionofIndia,other regionswon’thaveEnglishastheirlanguageofchoice whichmakeslanguageinterventionanabsolute necessity.
TherecentregulatorychangeinChinahaspavedtheway formoregloballyaccepteddrugstobelaunchedin China.However,theywillstillneedtoundergothe regulatoryprocessasusual.Weexpectanincreased effortfromPharmacompaniestolaunchmoredrugsin ChinawhichisthesecondlargestPharmaceuticalmarket intheworld.BiotechisalsoboominginChinawiththe helpofconsciousGovernmentsupport.Thereseemsto benoshortageofinvestmenteitherinthisregard.Hence, youcanexpectBioTechcompaniestohaveakeen interestinexpandingtheirfocustoChinainthecoming years.Basedonthis,weforeseethedemandfor translationbetweenEnglishandSimplifiedChineseto riseinthenearfuture.Also,itwillbewiserfor companiestooutsourcetheirdocumentation requirementssinceadheringtothestringentprotocolsin Chinesewillnotbeeasy.
Aspatientsbecomemoreawareandeducatedaboutthe drugstheytake,Pharmacompaniesareforcedto
considerapatient-firstbusinessmodeltocopewiththeir dynamicexpectationsanddemands.Companiesare consideringsmartphoneappsandonlineportalstostay connectedwithpatients.Withmoresophisticated technologicaloptionsbeingmadeavailablewithevery passingday,arangeofhealthservicescanbeofferedto patientsattheirconvenience.Thesetoolsalsoserveasa greatwaytoacquirepatientdata,maintainthemandgain usefulinsight.
However,replicatingthisapproachinothergeographies willneedlanguagesupport.AppandSoftware localizationrequiresdeepunderstandingofcultural nuancesinordertobeexecutedsuccessfully.Apartfrom this,promotionalandinformationalcollateralalsoneed tobetailoredandeditedinordertoappealtoconsumers invariousgeographies.Thisnotonlyincludesphysical collateralbutalsodigitalmaterials.Hence,asthefocus shiftstothepatient,thereiscertainlyariseindemand forlanguagesolutionsexpectedfromPharmaand Biotechcompanies.
Whilee-pharmaciesarestillintheirinfancy,thereis enoughreasontobelieveintheirsuccessinthenear future.Globalizationplansfore-pharmacies,isalong wayawayfrombeingatopicofdiscussion.Inthe meanwhile,PharmaandBiotechcompaniesstillneedto maintaintheirdigitalpresencewhoseimportance continuestogrowinthegrandschemeofthings.This includeswebsites,socialmediapositioningandonline reputationmanagement(ORM)amongothers.Inrecent times,we’vereceivedanincreaseddemandfor translationofmarketingmaterialsfromcompanieslike AbbottHealthcareandotherFortune500companies.
Aspharmaandbiotechcompanieslooktobuildtheir presenceacrossdifferentgeographies,theywillneedto thinkabouthowtheycantaketheirdigitalassetsalong. Maintainingbrandpositioningandbrandimageacross multipleregionsisalwaysgoingtobeachallenge. Moreover,failuretounderstandculturalnuancesand demandcanbeacauseforstuntedgrowth.Companies thathavetheforesighttoseetheimportanceofa languagesolutionspartneratthisstagewillhavegreater chancestosucceedinnewgeographies.
Shilpa Mittal, CEO of Ulatus, Ulatus is one of the world’s foremost language solutions providers. Shilpa is honoured with the prestigious “Best Woman Entrepreneur 2017” award by Golden Bridge in San Francisco.About the Author
ShilpaMittal CEO Ulatus
Withamissionto “improve people’s health and reduce healthcare cost by providing industry-leading health management science, technology, and advocacy to prevent and manage disease” US HealthCenter,Incwasborn.USHC’s TMPredictiMed platformusesapersonalized, TM Wholeisticpredictivehealthapproachto identifydiseaseprogression,from asymptomaticrisktocatastrophic.Byengaging withhealthplansponsors,insurers,payersand providers,tomanagepopulationhealthandassist participantsonahighlypersonalizedlevel,USHC helpstopreventsurprisemedicalcatastrophes,thereby loweringcostandimprovingqualityoflife.
ServicesthatMaketheOrganizationStandOut USHC’sPredictiMed™PHMplatformharvestsbiometric, medicalandpharmaceuticalhistory,bloodandsaliva chemistry,genetics,demographicandlifestyledatatopredicta personalizedpredictionforitsmembers.Populationdataisthen aggregatedtodetermineaFinancialRiskBurden™,ortheamount ofpotentialcostbyconditionthatisbrewinginthepopulation.This processhasbeenthirdpartyvalidatedbytheIntel/GECare InnovationsValidationInstitute,wherebytheInstitutehadthe opportunitytovalidatePredictiMed’s™abilitytoidentifyandlowerthe pre-diseasehighrisklevel,whichmayprecipitateahigheruseofERand hospitalservices,inthirteenmajordiseasecategories.UsingPredictiMed’s engagementstrategiesandpreemptiveinterventionUSHCcanreducethe incidenceofERvisitsandhospitalizationsbetween80and93%, dependingonthediseasecategory.Lowerbackpainoutcomewas theonlydiseasecategorywhichresultedin17%reductionfrom thecriticalriskleveltoalower,lessemergentlevel.
Thishealthstatusisthenwrappedintoamemberfacing appandportalcalledtheirPersonalHealth Dashboard™,orPHD.ThePHDhasallthe necessarytoolstohelpthemembermanagetheir lifestyleordiseaseandpreventfuturehealth surprises.
Mr. Gavin Quinnies Co-founder, President & CEO
LeveragingUSHC’sabilitytopredictfuture healthperindividualisthebasisforitsabilityto engagewithmembersspecificallyaroundtheirpast presentandfutureusingauniqueWholeistic™ approach,USHC’spersonalhealthadvocates,Wholeistic™ HealthCoaches,workswiththememberandtheirproviderto preventandmanagealltypesofpotentialdiseasesincluding metabolics,cancers,mentalnervous,andmusculoskeletal,toreduce costandimprovequalityoflife.
TrainedinengineeringandmanagementsystemsMr. GavinQuinniesistheCo-founder,CEOandPresidentof USHealthCenter.HestartedhiscareerdevelopingAI, automatedprocessplanning,andintelligentnetworksinthe aerospaceindustry.
Dr.GRaymondGavery,MD,ChairmanandCofounderisresponsibleforprovidingdirectionfor adjustmentstotheproprietaryalgorithmsutilizedinthe PredictiMed™systems.Specializedininternalmedicine andboardcertifiedinfamilypractice,Dr.Raymond developedoneofthelargestprivatemedicalpracticesin Illinois.
BothGavinandRaymondhaveacombinedexperienceof morethan50yearsattheforefrontofpredictivehealth modelinganddiseaseprevention.Theirpreviousexperience inthecommercialriskmanagementandmedicalrisk managementbroughtthemtogetherin2003.Themission wastodevelopatechnologythattargetedpersonal predictivecommercialapplication, totrulyhaveanimpact onindividualsandtheriskbearingentitiesthatinsurethem. Sincethentheyhaveworkedwiththousandsofemployers throughoutNorthAmerica,partsofWesternEurope,Africa andAsiatoidentifyfuturehealthrisksandtheFinancial RiskBurden™associatedwithemergingpredisease. Leveragingtheirvasttechnologysuitethatincludes personalizedprotocols,onlinelearning,careplans,reward mechanismsinconjunctionwiththeirWholeistic™ Coaching,theycansavelives,preventdiseases,improve qualityoflifeandreducehealthcarecost.GavinQuinnies hasbeenprimarilyresponsiblefordevelopingemerging marketstodemonstratehowtheseprogramsworkin variouscommercialsettingssuchasemployers,consumers, providers,insurers,retailandriskbearingentities.
ForUSHealthCenter,thejourneyhasbeenaboutfinding like-mindedorganizationsthatrealizelifeismostimpacted bysuddenmedicaloccurrencesandissuesrelatedtothe occurrence.Unforeseencatastrophicillnessimpactsall phasesofaperson’slife,includingfamily,financialand employment.Unforeseencatastrophicillnessalsoimpacts theriskbearerinasimilarmanner,suchastheemployer, thegovernment,insurerorthepayer.However,sincethe entirehealthcareindustryhasbeenbuiltaroundfeefor service,ithasbeenincentivizedtotreatsickness,assick peoplecostmore,andthereforeresultinhigherfees.This hasprogressedtoanunsustainablelevel.So,USHC believesthatithasbeenfortunatetoworkwithlike-minded
insuranceagents,employersandotherorganizations,to blazetrailswithUSHCtoformanewindustry.
AccordingtoUSHC,themostimportantpartislisteningto themarketandfindingthosethatwanttoworktogetherina partnership.Asasmallcompanycompetingagainstmultibilliondollarhealthcaresystemsandinsures,USHCcan’t outmarket,outpromoteoroutspendthem.However,the companybelievesthatitcancertainlyoutperformthemin virtuallyeveryothercategory.Sotheorganizationneedsto pickitspartnersandclientswisely.
USHCalsobelieves,thatthefieldiscontinuingtoexpand, splinterandconvergeallatthesametime.Newideas aroundlifestyleandoutcomesareemergingaspeople grapplewithwhat’snext.Accordingtotheorganization,a predictive,prospectiveandpersonalizedapproachto populationhealthandwellnessmanagementisalways goingtobethekeytosuccessatthepersonaland organizationallevel.Ithasbeenthewayallindustries mature,fromonesizefitsalltomasscustomization.Health ispersonal;healthmanagementneedstobethesame. Consequentlythepersontopersonconnectionneedstobe morepersonal.Callcenterswhereanyonecanhelpthe memberarenoteffective.Especiallywhenthepersontrying tohelpthemembercanonlydopartoftheassistance. Advocatesneedtobeabletoanswerallthequestions,from billingtosecondopinionstoworkingwithproviders,and whatisgoingonattheorganization’sworksiteasfaras wellnessprogrammingisconcerned.ThisisUSHC’s TM Wholeistic™approachpoweredbytheirPredictiMed predictiveanalyticsthatpersonalizetheengagement.
We are one of the few vendors that provide services in predisease, disease, and post disease periods, and focuses on participation and adhesion to the health management programs resulting in great savings for our customers.
Biotechnologyisatheexplorationanddevelopmentofvariousbiological processestoachievemainlyindustrialandvariousotherpurposes cultivationoftheplants,andimprovementsthroughbreedingprograms. Theprocessesalsoemploysartificialselectionandhybridizationwhichemphases itsfunctionality.Atpresent,themodernusagealsoincludesgeneticengineeringas wellascellandtissueculturetechnologies.
Inearlierdaysbiotechnologyprocesswasinitiatedbyfarmerswhodeveloped improvedspeciesofplantsandanimalsbycross-fertilizingorcross-breeding.Inrecent years,biotechnologyhasexpandeditscorefunctionalitywidelywhichnowfocuseson sophistication,scope,andapplicability.
Awell-knownandauthorandwriterisvagueandcanbeunsubstantial,forexample, ClaytonChristensensharehisviewsas, “There are other dimensions of biotechnology. If you think of biotechnology like the Internet, it’s not a category - it’s an infrastructure that can be deployed to sustain or disrupt. In healthcare, the most complex problems at the high end have to be dealt with in a problem-solving mode by the best, most experienced physicians you can find.”
Biotechnologyisimmenselycontributingtowardsagriculturewhichenhancesits functionalitytothenextlevel.Agricultureaspectshaveextremelychangedwith biotechnologyfunctionsandincreasereadabilityoftheprocess.
AgriculturalBiotechnologyisalsoknownas Agritech.Itisanareaofagricultural scienceinvolvingtheuseofscientifictoolsandtechniques.Thereareseveral techniquesusedinagriculturebiotechnologysuchasGeneticEngineering,
MolecularMarkers,MolecularDiagnostics,Vaccines, andtissueculture.Anditalsomodifiestheliving organismslikePlants,Animals,andMicroorganisms.
Inrecenttimes,Cropbiotechnologyhasbeendeveloped itsfunctionalityinagricultureandisalsooneofthemain aspectsofagriculturebiotechnology.Itsdesiredqualities areexportedfromaparticularspeciesofCroptoan entirelydifferentspecies.
GeneticEngineering:Thetermisderivedfrom scientificresearchprovidesinformationabouthowto movegenesfromoneorganismtoanother.Thisisknown asgeneticengineering(GE)orgeneticmodification (GM).Geneticengineeringincludesthetransferof usefulcharacteristicsbyinsertingDNAofPlants,animal ormicroorganismfromanotherorganismtoanother.
MolecularDiagnostics:Moleculardiagnostics significantlydetectgenesorgeneproductsthatarevery preciseandspecific.Moleculardiagnosticsisthemethod usedinagriculturetomoreaccuratelydiagnose crop/livestockdiseases.
TissueCulture:Tissuecultureistheprocessof regenerationofplantsfromthedisease-freeplant.This techniqueallowsreproductionofdisease-freeplanting materialforcrops.
TraditionalBreeding:Traditionalbreedingmethodhas beenusedforcenturiestoimprovecropqualityand quantity.Thecrossbreedingdescribesthecombinationof twocompatiblespeciestocreateanewvarietywiththe desiredtraits.Thecrossbreedingcanbeonlyutilized withinthesameorcloselyrelatedspecies.
Polyploidy:Polyploidyisthemethoddescribeswhich canbeinducedtomodifythenumberofchromosomesin acropinordertoinfluenceitsfertilityorsize.Through naturallyorwiththeuseofchemicals,thenumberof chromosomescanchange.Theprocessresultsinthe fertilitychangesinmodificationwithinthecrop.
ProtoplastFusion:Protoplastfusionis alsoknownasSomaticfusion.Itisa typeofgeneticmodificationinplantsby whichtwodistinctspeciesofplants. Inthismethod,itincludesjoining ofcellsorcellcomponentsto transfertraitsbetweenspecies.
Transgenics:Transgenicsisthemethod whichinvolvestheinsertionofonepiece ofDNAintoanotherorganism’sDNA.It worksinordertointroduceanewgene intotheoriginalorganism.Thisadditionof genesintoanorganism’sgeneticmaterial createsanewvarietywithdesired qualities.
Thetechnologyusedinagricultural productivityimproveditsusabilityand functionalitywithsomemajorfactors suchascombineharvesters, chemicalfertilizers,andthegreen revolution.Likeeverytechnology, agriculturalbiotechnologywill alsohaveitsmajorimpacton economicandsocial.
Inagriculture,cropsusingbiotechnologies haveimproveditsqualityandalsobeen usedsafelywithbenefits.Thetechnology influencesthewholeprocessbythe reductionofpesticideuse.Atpresent agriculturalbiotechnology,oneofthe factorsthatinfluencethehealthand welfareofthefarmersandothercitizensin thedevelopingworld.
Theaimofagriculturalbiotechnology istopresentthefunctionalityofthe applicationsusedinagriculture biotechnology.Theapplications areeagerlyawaitedtoincrease
theproductivityofcrops,primarilybyreducingthe costsofproductionbydecreasingtheneedsfor inputsofpesticides.Theprocessismostlyusedin cropsgrownintemperatezones.Theapplicationof agriculturalbiotechnologycanimprovethequality oflifebydevelopingnewstrainsofplantsthatgive highercrops.Thecropscanbegrowninawider rangeofenvironmentswhichgivebetterrotationsto conservenaturalresources.Italsoprovidesmore nutritiousharvestedproductsthatkeepmuchlonger instorageandtransport,andcontinuelow-costfood suppliestoconsumers.
AccordingtoCropScience,thecompanywith credibleauthorityontheprogressandfuture implicationsofAgriculturalbiotechnologystates that, “Farming is evolving in the 21st century with the development and use of biotechnology crops. Scientists and agronomists work in the lab and greenhouse to come up with genes that improve crop yield and make corn, soybean, cotton and canola plants more resistant to insects and more tolerant to herbicides, drought, and stress.”
Thebiotechnologyanditsprocessistheevidenceof thecontributionstowardsruraldevelopmentaround theworld.Itservesasthesourceofinspirationfor emergingnationstocomplementexistingpractices withagriculturalbiotechnology.
Inrecentyears,CorporateWellnesshas becomeanincreasinglyintegralcomponent ofbusinessstrategy.Thewellnessspacecan thrivebeyondthewallsofHRandintothe fabricoforganizationstoimpactbothpersonal andorganizationalhealth.Diseaseprevention andwellbeinghasadirectimpacton presenteeism,absenteeism,performance, satisfaction,injuries,accidents,andmore. Moreandmorecompaniesarefindingthat healthieremployeesarealsohappierandmore productive.Therefore,corporatewellness companiesareofferinganarrayofdifferentservices andapproachestoensurethegoodhealthoftheir people.U.S.PreventiveMedicineisonesuchleading corporatewellnessorganizationwhichfocuseson reducinghealthrisksandunnecessaryhealthcare utilizationbykeepingpeoplehealthyandhelpingthem bettermanagechronicconditionsbeforetheybecome critical.
U.S.PreventiveMedicine(USPM)isaPopulationHealth Managementcompanyfocusedonimprovinghealthandwellbeing throughpreventivemedicine.Itsphilosophyistotakeanevidencebased,data-firstapproachappliedatbothpopulationandindividual levels.Ittakesawhole-personapproachtopreventionthatencompasses mentalandemotionalhealth,physicalhealth,socialhealth,financial health,andmore,withtwoprimarygoals:(1)toreducetheburdenof healthriskand(2)reducehealthcarecosts.USPM’sunique,live-saving HealthandWellbeingAssessment,anditswholeperson-whole populationapproachisinstarkcontrasttotheindustrynormof random-acts-of-wellness.Itsversatilityofacomprehensive offeringwithpointsolutionsleadtoitsinnateabilitytointegrate withitsclientsandpartners.USPM’scorevaluesarean others-firstapproach,compassion,andfocused communication,anditlovestodelivercompetentresults whilehavingfundoingit.
USPMhasfoundincreasingriskregarding mentalandemotionalhealth,andhasresponded withtechnology,programs,andadditional resourcestoaddressthis‘gateway’domainthat affectsallotherconditionsandbehaviors. Additionally,itiscommittedtoimprovingthe combinationofemployeeeducation/awarenesswith employeeactivation/doing,whileemphasizingthe psychologyofbehaviorchangeinthecenterofthesetwo strategiestoinitiateandsustainresults.
USPMoffersaproprietaryandcertifiedHealthandWellbeing Assessment(HWA)thatissavinglives.ItsHWAidentifiesindividuals withmultiplerisksincludingmentalandemotionalhealth,andutilizesan
nternalfeedbackloopwithitsRegisteredNursesfor
immediateintervention.
USPMexcelsinmedicalandpharmacyclaimsanalytics thatriskscorepopulations,evaluateprevalencerates, considercomorbidconditions,andmuchmore,alldesigned todefineandmeasuretheburdenofhealthriskandcost.
USPMuniquelyleverageshealthinformationinacareteam approachthatcombinesbothlifestylemanagementand diseasemanagementinterventionsforindividualswith complexconditionsandbehaviors.
USPM’sleaderisitsViceChairman,RonLoeppke,MD, MPH,FACOEM,andFACPM.Dr.LoeppkeisaPopulation HealthManagement/CorporateWorkplaceWellness industryicon.HeisboardcertifiedinPreventiveMedicine andhasover30yearsofclinicalandphysicianexecutive experience,alongwithfellowshiptrainedinOccupational Medicine.HeisafellowofboththeAmericanCollegeof OccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine(ACOEM)and theAmericanCollegeofPreventiveMedicine(ACPM).Dr. LoeppkeisthepastpresidentofACOEM,haspublished over40peer-reviewedarticlesandcasestudieson PopulationHealthManagement,andchairedtheCentersfor DiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)DiabetesatWork Program.
Dr.Loeppkehasdeliveredover300presentationsnationally andinternationallyonthetopicofpreventionand PopulationHealthManagement.Hehashadandcontinues tohaveanindelibleinfluenceonUSPM’srelentless commitmenttoevidence-basedpreventivemedicine approachesandmetrics.Dr.Loeppkehascollaboratedwith countlessphysiciansandPopulationHealthexpertsto furthertheincrediblyimportantinitiativeofpreventionand PopulationHealthinboththeU.S.andacrosstheworld.
USPMisindependentlyvalidatedbytheHealthValidation Instituteanditsresultsareguaranteed.USPMaddslifeto yearsandyearstolife,andprovesitwithquantifiable, measurableresults.USPM’sDiseaseManagementresults andmethodologiesarevalidatedbytheIntel-GEValidation InstituteandwereproventoreducehospitalizationsandER visitsby41%over4years.Inadifferentstudy,itsavedan employerover$5.6Minhealthcarespendfor299diabetics over3years.Additionally,itmeasureshealthrisk transitions-inanotherstudyacross15employersfor7,804 participants,after2yearsitdecreasedthehigh-risk
populationby45%,decreasedthemoderate-riskpopulation by21%andincreasedthelow-riskpopulationby18%.
USPMprovidesclientswitharoadmapandstrategyto buildacultureofwellbeingthatincorporatesleadership, environment,alignment,andrecommendations.Its high-tech,high-touchapproachensuresengagementfrom individualsandpersonalaccountability.Itsanalyticsare alsoleveragedforproactiveoutreachtomemberswith healthrisksand/orchronicconditions.
USPMisfirmlycommittedtoleveragingbothtechnology andhumantouchinitsapproachtoimpactingpopulations. Itisinvestingintechnology,applications,clinicalprogram development,andkeypartnershipstofurtheritsreachand impactwithinthepopulationsitservesandbeyond.
“Before The Preventive Plan, I weighed 327 lbs. Over the next 3 years, I ate better and exercised. I saw my doctor, and everything is in normal range for my lab work. I have lost over 100 lbs and plan on running a 10k. Thank You!” –Michael,SiouxFalls,SD
“The Preventive Plan routine labs and biometrics screening found I had dangerous levels of glucose and I was not aware I was a diabetic. I changed my entire lifestyle and now have normal glucose levels and am hoping to come off the diabetic medication.” –Shannon,Jacksonville,FL
We add life to years and years to life… one person at a time.
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Themarketresearchlandscapeisindisruption–howwe captureconsumerinsightsischangingdrasticallyfromhow itwasdoneyearsago.Agileisthenewmantraformost marketersthesedays–it’saboutbeingfaster,cheaperAND smarter.Isitpossibletohaveall3?
Further,Agileisn’ttheonlyA-word–there’sArtificial IntelligenceandAutomationaswell.TheseA’scomprise someofthemajorfactorsdisruptingourlandscape.So, whatdoesitallmeanandhowdoesitimpactyou?
Ispendagooddealoftimevisitingclients–infact;Icount thecompaniesIvisityearafteryear,that’scompanies, not individuals.Lastyear129,theyearbefore105–allglobal andacrossmanysectors.
Here’swhatIamhearing(andseeingofcourse):
• ConsumercompaniescontinuetofocusonMillennials, andnowGenZ;thesearemobile-centricconsumers,they balkattraditionalresearch,&moreimportantly,use visuals&video(SnapChat,Instagram,YouTube)to communicate&curatebehavior.Howyoutalktothem needstochange-meaninghowyoucollectandcapture whatthey’redoing.
• Today’sconsumersareinformed‘digitalspenders,’ accordingtoHarvardBusinessReview–theyintegrate mobiledevicesforinformationseekingandpurchase, bothin-storeandonline.Theyareinformedand connected,makingin-contextlearningmorecriticalfor consumerclosenessandactivation.Further,becauseof theirrelationshipwithmobiledevices,thereisinherent intimacy,enablingmarketerstogainfromricher understanding,bothviaactiveandpassive‘datacapture.’
• Howconsumersuseinformationandcommunicateis shiftingtowhatGooglereferstoasmicromoments.We liveinaworlddrivenbyinstantsharing,YouTubevideos, TEDTalks,etc.Marketersneedtoshifttheirapproaches andfocustohowtheycaptureconsumerinformation–bothactivelyandpassively.Thisaddstothedisruption.
• Healthcarecompaniesaresomewhatstillfocusedon oldergenerations(Boomers,Xers),buthowthis informationisdeliveredisshiftingtoonlinesourcesof healthinformation,andcompliancemechanismsgo beyondthelife-savingpilltoappsandotherwaysto reinforceusageofnewtreatmentsandmedications.And it’sthesamewithdoctors–tabletsandmobiledevices
areusedfortheirdailywork,thereforeresearchneedsto conformwithvideointerviews,etc.
• Navigatingthislearningalsohasitssetofbuzzwordsand newrequirements. AIandautomationarethe2018 buzzwordsontopofbeingAgile.Clientsare re-architectingprocessesanddisciplines.Theemergence ofZappistore,Wizer,Audience,andotherself-serve platformsalso,hasgainedacceptanceofferingan automatedwayformarketerstogetfastresultsusing standardapproaches.Infact,it’sresultedinashiftto marketersbecomingmoreempoweredforresearch ‘buying’asinsightsteamscontinuetoshrink.
AtBuzzBack,we’vebeenpioneeringinnovationininsights formorethan17years.Infact,thismonth,weturn18 emergingasaleaderininnovation.Sometimeswedon’t explicitlyusethewordagile,becausewe’vealwaysbeen agile.Thatmeansprovidinginsightsatdifferentstagesin yourinnovationjourney–sometimeswithstageseven conductedinparallel–fasterandmoreaffordably,making iteasyforyourteamtomoveforward.
You’llbenefitfromauniqueexperiencethatcombines:
• Researchguidance–researchsteering,whetheryou’re aninsightsexpertorattheearlystagesofdevelopinga brand.Ourseasonedresearchersguideatmultiplesteps alongtheway
• Interactivetechniques–ourproprietaryprojectives yieldgreaterdepthandunderstanding,usinginteractive technologytoengage–especiallyyoungergenerations accustomedtolivinginadigitally-centricenvironment
• Depthofreporting–combiningvisual,verbal, emotionalandcontextualunderstanding,illustrating consumerclosenessinbothconsumergeneratedand passivedatacapture.Yourlearningneedstoconceptually, conciselyandquicklydelivera‘story’that’seasily digestableandshareable
• Fasterdelivery–automationtogiveyouresultsinjusta fewdays–evenhours–tobringyouconsumercloseness
• Holisticviewbecauseyourjourneyhasmultiplesteps, andkeythemesneedtofittogetherwhenyou’ve completedthesteps.
Overtheyears,hundredsofbrandshavereliedonour techniquestobetterconnecttoconsumers,breakthrough marketingchallenges,andfast-tracktheirinnovation–with provenresultsbringingnewproductstomarket.
Whenitcomestodeterminingyournextstepsinmarketing, howdoyouplantogetallA’s?
