The fifth year of MHealthy Rewards proved to be its biggest thus far, with more than 22,000 benefits-eligible faculty and staff participating, and nearly 80 schools, colleges and administrative areas achieving 50 percent or more participation.
“This has been a record year for MHealthy, thanks in part to the support we’ve received from all levels of the university,” says LaVaughn Palma-Davis, senior director of University Health & Well-Being Services. “We reached 56 percent participation, exceeding our university-wide goal. And for the first time, we had close to 700 spouses and other qualified adults complete the health questionnaire, learn important information about their health, and are now participating in our programs.”
Schools, colleges, and administrative areas from all three campuses are represented in the near 80 university areas. Top performing areas on Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn campuses will receive special recognition.
U-M Ann Arbor/Health System top performing areas:
• Vice President for Government Relations, 100 percent.
• Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, 100 percent.
• University Committee on Use and Care of Animals Office, 100 percent.
• President’s Office, 100 percent.
• University Audits, 95 percent.
• Associate Vice President for Student Learning Development, 90 percent.
• Vice President of Development, 83 percent.
• UMHS Human Resources, 82 percent.
• Investment Office, 80 percent.
• University Human Resources, 78 percent.
• University Musical Society, 77 percent.
• Recreational Sports, 76 percent.
• Associate Vice President for Finance, 74 percent.
• Office of the Vice President for Research, 72 percent.
• Center for Human Growth and Development, 71 percent.
• Rackham Graduate School, 71 percent.
• Associate Vice President for Finance/Human Resources (Student Affairs), 70 percent.
• Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Administration, 69 percent.
• School of Kinesiology, 69 percent.
• University Health Service, 68 percent.
• University Library, 67 percent.
• Medical School Administration, 67 percent.
• Vice President and General Counsel, 67 percent.
• Vice President for Communications, 67 percent.
• Dean of Students, 67 percent.
• Academic Affairs, 67 percent.
• School of Social Work, 66 percent.
U-M Flint top performing areas:
• Flint Student Affairs, 100 percent.
• Flint Business and Finance, 89 percent.
• Flint Provost’s Office, 73 percent.
U-M Dearborn top performing areas:
• Dearborn Institutional Advancement, 90 percent.
• Dearborn External Relations, 82 percent.
• Dearborn Enrollment Management and Student Life, 79 percent.
A complete list of all university areas that reached 50 percent or greater participation in MHealthy Rewards 2013 is available at www.mhealthy.umich.edu/50percent.
“Our primary goal with our MHealthy activities is to engage as many people as possible throughout the University in the quest for improving health and quality of life,” Palma-Davis says. “It is about helping people be the best they can be and creating a culture that is energized by wellness. Our health practices impact not only how we feel today, but also how likely we are to develop chronic diseases and disability in the future. The good news is that improving health risks can improve or prevent such chronic conditions.”
Group data collected from the last four years of the health questionnaire and 2009 and 2012 wellness screenings reveal several positive outcomes:
• U-M employees’ health risk levels are trending in the right direction and participants are moving from higher risk to lower risk levels.
• U-M employees at high risk in the areas of tobacco, alcohol, nutrition, depression and back pain are trending down.
• Biometric results for blood pressure and cholesterol for employees who participated in the wellness screenings in both 2009 and 2012 show significant declines.
Employees who completed their 2013 confidential health questionnaire now have an opportunity to earn another $50 before-tax reward by completing a Rewards-eligible healthy activity by July 12.
“We hope that individuals and work units will keep the momentum going by helping each other and continuing on the path of building healthy activity into their daily lives,” says Palma-Davis.
For more information on MHealthy, go to www.mhealthy.umich.edu.
