March 30, 2009
Re: UA Health in Action Monthly Program Report for February 2009
Dear Mike Humphrey,
Please find attached the UA Health in Action February report. The report covers program activities for
this month and includes:
 Participation numbers
 Summaries of services (with statistical information)
 Program development and miscellaneous
 Program feedback
Total participation in February for the UA wellness program was 7,631.
If you have any comments or questions, please let us know. Thank you for the opportunity to serve
you.
Very truly,
Shannon Brady Garman
Summer Neuroth
Wellness Initiatives Network for Alaska, Inc.
P.O. Box 91393, Anchorage, AK 99509
Toll Free: 1-866-248-0797 • Phone: 907-248-0797 • Fax: 907-248-0751 • E-mail: winfor@alaska.net
www.winforalaska.com
UA Health in Action
Monthly Program Report
February 2009
Participation Numbers
The total participation numbers for all UA Health in Action services in February reached 7,631. Figure 1 shows
total participation numbers for each month in 2009.
Program
Jan
Program Participation Numbers
Year-to-Date
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
Incoming Email*
580
664
Telephone Calls*
157
207
Wellness Breaks
155
237
46
70
N/A
22
457
505
Presentations
N/A
N/A
Midday Health Forums
17
12
N/A
652
N/A
N/A
2412
2995
39
154
28
34
2033
1995
106
84
6030
7631
Physical Fitness Events:
UAA Pilates
Physical Fitness Events:
UAA Nordic Skiing
Individualized Health
Planning Sessions—
Phase 2
Get the Point Tracking
System Registration
(total to month end)
Get the Point Incentive
Campaign
(total to month end)
UA Health in Action
website visits
Audiocasts (times an
audiocast was played)
Fitness Buddy directory
UA Health Link
eNewsletter opens
Health Tip of the Month
email opens
Total
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
Figure 1. Program participation numbers in 2009. *This includes only incoming emails and calls from UA employees.
Page 2
Summaries of Services
These summaries, list WIN’s new and ongoing actions for each service we provided in February.
Customer Service
New Actions

Replied to calls and emails regarding:

Get the Point (GTP)—general campaign questions, account activations, resetting passwords, and GTP
system questions

Pilates—waitlist requests and class information questions

Nordic skiing—questions about skiing and waxing

Individualized Health Planning (IHP)—appointment scheduling/rescheduling/cancellations/confirmations,
directions to appointment, and program information

Wellness Breaks—more information, how to register, and requests for more blood screening and
massage appointments.

Full Circle Farms Delivery—questions about a drop site in Juneau

Miscellaneous—wellness questions, appreciations, and requests to find a percussis vaccination clinic
that was occurring on campus
Wellness Breaks
New Actions

Held four Wellness Breaks as noted in figure 2. The total abnormal biometric screening results from these
Wellness Breaks are shown in figures 3 and 4. Two Wellness Breaks were for rural locations that involved
travel.

Coordinated with massage therapists in four locations for Wellness Breaks held this month.

Sent confirmation email to requesters for Wellness Breaks at the following locations:







Ketchikan Campus
UAF Career Services Department
Financial Aide Department
Accounting Services Department
Kenai Peninsula College
UAF-OIT Department
UAF Admissions Department
Ongoing Actions

Organizing Wellness Breaks for Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks for the coming months.

Working on travel arrangements with the rural coordinators.

Receiving emails, telephone calls, and faxes from Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks as well as the rural
communities requesting Wellness Breaks.

Preparing for meetings and meeting with Wellness Break coordinators. Working on their requested
Wellness Break topics, faculty and staff questions, room preparation, etc.

Following the Wellness Break promotion schedule: “Save the date” flyer sent one month in advance of the
Wellness Break, invitation sent two weeks in advance, reminder emails sent two days before, and
appointment confirmation/reminder emails the day before.
Page 3
Wellness Breaks Participation Numbers in February
(These totals include the number of participants at each presentation, activity, and biometric test.
Individuals could have attended multiple presentations, activities, and tests. )
University Department/ Campus/
School/ College
Activity
Participants
Totals
UAF Admissions Department
Presentations
Snacks/smoothies
Blood Screening
Blood Pressure
Massages
27
12
5
11
11
66
Mat Su College
Presentations
Snacks/smoothies
Blood Screening
Blood Pressure
Body Composition
Massages
7
13
15
10
10
18
73
UAF Wood Center Staff
Presentations
Snacks/smoothies
Blood Screening
Blood Pressure
Massages
23
8
10
10
11
62
Seward Marine Center
Presentations
Snacks/smoothies
Blood Screening
Blood Pressure
Body Composition
Massages
2
2
9
7
7
9
36
Wellness Breaks Total
237
Figure 2. Detailed Wellness Break participation numbers for February. This shows how
many times someone benefited from a Wellness Break activity.
Blood Cholesterol Abnormal Numbers
(out of 39 participants)
High Density
Lipoprotein
Low Density
Lipoprotein
(Under 40)
(Over 130)
8 (21%)
6 (15%)
Triglycerides
Glucose
Ratio
(Over 150)
(Over 100)
(Over 4.5)
Total
Cholesterol
(Over 200)
11 (28%)
7 (18%)
5 (13%)
9 (23%)
Figure 3. Blood cholesterol abnormal numbers. This shows how many blood test results out of 39 tests revealed
unhealthy cholesterol/glucose numbers.
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Blood Pressure Abnormal Numbers
(out of 38 participants)
Body Composition Analysis Abnormal Numbers
(out of 17 participants)
(over 140/90)
(Example: over 21% body fat in men, ages 20-59;
and over 34% body fat in women, ages 20-59)
13 (34%)
13 (76%)
Figure 4. Blood pressure and body composition analysis abnormal numbers. This shows how
many blood pressure results and body composition analyses out of 38 and 17, respectively, were
unhealthy.
Physical Fitness Event: UAA Pilates
Ongoing Actions

Offering Pilates classes at 1:45pm and 4:30pm every Wednesday in Anchorage. People attended Pilates
70 times in February.

Maintaining and updating the class list.

Sending out a reminder email each week to registrants.
Physical Fitness Event: UAF Pilates
New Actions

Promoted new UAF Pilates class in the UA Health Link.

Set up registration system for the class.
Physical Fitness Event: UAA Cross Country Skiing
New Actions

Offered a ski waxing clinic for the Tuesday cross country ski group on February 20. Three people attended.
Ongoing Actions

Offering cross country ski classes at 12pm every Tuesday in Anchorage. People attended 19 times in
February.

Maintaining and updating the class list.

Sending out a reminder email each week to registrants.
Biometric Screening Event
New Actions

Created and sent out flyer to announce biometrics.

Planned a registration system.

Discussed content for announcement and reminder emails and UA Health Link articles.

Scheduled rooms for April PWP Biometric Screening Events at UAS, UAF, and UAA.
Page 5
Full Circle Farms (FCF) Organic Produce Delivery Networking
New Actions

Worked with a UAS staff member who was willing to be the host of a main campus drop-off site and who
had the support of her department, but when the proposal was sent to the Vice Chancellor, the idea was
denied for several reasons. A thank you gift of organic veggies will be given to this staff member.
Ongoing Actions

Promoting drop sites in the Health Link.
Individualized Health Planning (IHP) Sessions—Phase 2
New Actions

Facilitated 505 session appointments during the month.

Added additional appointments as a final chance to register for IHP sessions.
Ongoing Actions

Tracking weekly the IHP session totals in Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.

Wellness consultants meeting weekly to discuss the IHP program, rooms, getting more participants, and
best practices.

Promoting IHP sessions through the UA Health in Action website, UA Health Link, and Wellness Breaks.

Garnering support for IHP sessions from university departments.
Personal Wellness Profile (PWP)
New Actions

Worked with liaison on the various spreadsheets of employee names for the PWP.

Worked with liaison on the PWP questions and modifications.

Adjusted our PWP rollout schedule as needed for mail outs.

Worked on the following for the PWP rollout: canvassing card, invitation and announcement emails,
reminder emails, and submitted PWP articles to UA publications.

Held meetings with the PWP vendor.
Presentations
New Actions

Prepared a presentation on February 17 for the UAF Student Recreation Center—Exercising at Work
Station Using Resistance Bands. WIN was invited by the Student Recreation Center to present at their Life
Lecture Series, but it was not well advertised and we had no participation.
Page 6
Midday Health Forums
New Actions

Held five health forums on How to Navigate Get the Point: two at UAA, two at UAF, and one at UAS.
These 30-minute presentations introduce a health topic and allow time for questions. Participants are
encouraged to bring their lunch during the forum to maximize their time. 12 people attended this month’s
forums.
Ongoing Actions

Sending out Midday Health Forum reminder to those who are on the reminder email list.

Promoting the forums in the UA Health Link each month.
Get the Point (GTP) 2009 Incentive Program
New Actions

Added new activities to GTP.

Ordered GTP prize samples for the JHCC based on liaison’s request.

Met with liaisons and the JHCC on the 50/50 specifics and what our rollout plan for it would look like. We
also discussed how the money would be used for it and provided them with a clear budget.
Ongoing Actions

Promoting GTP through walk throughs, UA Health Link, IHP sessions, Wellness Breaks, and the Health in
Action website.
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UA Health in Action Website
New Actions

Updated content on the website.
Ongoing Actions

Promoting the UA Health In Action website through the UA Health Link, at Wellness Breaks, and at IHP
sessions.
Visits and Page Views

In February there were 2,995 visits by 1,165 people (unique visitors), resulting in 5,408 page views. There
were 583 more visits in February than in January. (See figure 7.) Of the 2,995 visits, nearly 24% were by
new visitors (never accessed www.uahealthinaction.com before) and 76% were from returning visitors.
Figure 5. Website visits and page views comparison. This graph
compares website interest over the last three months.
Top Pages/Links
 122 pages/links within the UA Health In Action site were viewed a total of 5,408 times in February (as
compared to January with 126 pages/links viewed a total of 4,327 times). Figure 6 shows the most popular
pages. Only pages with five or more visits are shown in the figure.
Page 8
Popular UA Health in Action Website Pages/Links for February
Page Name
Hits
Home Page
2,322
Incentives
250
Programs
233
Audiocasts
154
Toolbox
112
Community Events
98
Resources
93
IHP
87
Buddy List
79
Wellness Breaks
76
eNewsletters
72
UA Resources
61
Links that go to pages on other websites
BMI
15
Calorie Counter
9
Online Wellness Center
8
Fitness Quiz
7
Figure 6. Popular website pages in February. This shows how
many times people viewed particular web pages associated with
the UA Health in Action website in February.
Audiocasts
New Actions

Added the following audiocasts to the UA Health In Action website in February:
 If You Find a Healthier Cereal, Eat It
 How to Find Whole Grain Foods
 MP3 Headphones and Implanted Cardiac Devices
 How Balanced Are You?
Ongoing Actions

Continuing to promote audiocasts via the UA Health Link.
Downloads/Opens

Audiocasts were accessed 154 times in February.
Page 9
Fitness Buddy Directory

At the end of February, 34 people were listed in the Fitness Buddy directory representing Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Juneau, Palmer, and North Pole.
Online Wellness Center
Ongoing Actions

Promoting the Online Wellness Center (OWC) through UA Health Link eNewsletters and links on the UA
Health In Action website.
Articles

In February, the OWC articles included:  Heart Health
 Family Health
 Senior Health
UA Health Link eNewsletter
New Actions


Sent out the main and mid-month issues for February.
In the February issue, we:
 promoted Get the Point Incentive Campaign start;
 promoted the addition of initial IHP sessions to the program;
 promoted upcoming Personal Wellness Profile;
 warned readers about the peanut butter recall;
 asked readers to take a balance test;
 highlighted winter Pilates and cross country skiing groups;
 announced February’s Wellness Goal—Get Out and Get Active;
 spotlighted the Online Wellness Center’s featured articles on heart health;
 included the UAF’s spring fitness class schedule; and
 promoted Wellness Breaks.
Opens

The eNewsletter email was opened 1,802 times in February (as compared to January with 1,754 opens).
(See figure 7.) The number of opens reflects the actual number of times the email itself was opened. In
addition to the 1,802 email opens of the February Health Link, 193 more opens occurred via web browsers
or the website, totaling 1,995 opens.
Page 10
Figure 7. Health Link opens in December, January and February.
Page 11
Top Articles

Even though the Health Link is distributed as an email, it is web-based and the body of the email links to
web pages for full articles. Figure 8 shows the most popular February Health Link articles that were opened
in February. Also, other issues and articles were opened during February, and the most popular ones are
noted in figure 8. Only pages with five or more visits are shown in the figure.
Popular February Health Link Articles Accessed in February
Article
Hits
Skiing and Pilates Information/Registration
506
Are You Balanced? Test
216
Wellness Goal
139
Wellness Breaks
92
Health Forum Information/Registration
82
Get the Point
42
Popular Other Health Link Articles and Issues Accessed
in February
Jan 09 Mid-month Issue
21
Jan 09 Get the Point
11
Sep 08 Wellness Champ
10
Jan 09 IHP
8
Jun 08 Wellness Champion
8
Oct 08 Wellness Champion
8
Aug 08 Wellness Champion
7
Jul 08 Wellness Champion
6
Jan 08 Main Issue
5
Jan 09 Main Issue
5
Oct 08 Achievements Article
5
Sep 07 Main Issue
5
Figure 8. Popular Health Link articles accessed in February. This shows
how many times people viewed various Health Link web pages in February.
Health Tip of the Month
New Actions

February’s health tip was titled There’s More to Sodium than the Salt Shaker. It was sent to 155 email
addresses, opened 76 times via email, and was accessed 8 times via the website, totaling 84 viewings.
Ongoing Actions

Continuing to promote the Health Tip of the Month through the UA Health Link and inviting staff/faculty to
sign up.
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Program Development and Miscellaneous
WIN for Alaska is continually developing UA’s Health in Action wellness program. Our efforts include working
closely with the staff and faculty to help facilitate and improve the programs.
New Actions








Worked with Liaison to prepare WIN information for the February JHCC meeting.
Provided invoices to liaisons.
Held meetings with the liaison about JHCC meetings.
Helped update the UA Benefits web page with current wellness information.
Started planning our part in the UAF Staff Appreciation Day—contacted liaisons about what they would like
to have us do.
Worked toward a new report structure. We are making it more detailed with each element of the contract as
well as the amount of time it takes to complete each element.
Added the following internal contacts to our internal resources document:
 Valerie Rickards, Admissions Department—Wellness Break coordination
 Jeri Maxwell, Wood Center—Wellness Break coordination
 Kay Barboza, Acting Director of Mather Library—Library Conference Room scheduling
 Catherine Grieve—Scheduling space for PWP screenings
Added the following community contacts to our community resources document:
 Pamela Steven, massage therapist—Wasilla and Palmer Wellness Breaks
Ongoing Actions






Meeting monthly with Mike and Erica to discuss all aspects of UA’s wellness program, including the January
report.
Working with the various campuses on room schedules for our events and presentations.
Working with various people throughout the state to find locations that will allow more staff and faculty to
participate in workshops and events.
Learning about campus-run programs and developing ways to help support them.
Developing targeted email communication based on the feedback from faculty/staff evaluations, interest
surveys, emails, and telephone conversations.
Working towards the Well Workplace Award.
Page 13
Program Feedback from Participants & Wellness Consultants
The following are quotes taken from emails, evaluations and phone calls that we received this month.
Wellness Breaks—Staff and Faculty Comments
 Thank you so much for this wonderful event; the information was well organized and presented, and I will
definitely be implementing the things I learned into my new healthy lifestyle!
 Thank you so much!
 Thank you! This was fantastic!
 Great job. Thanks Cindy.
Wellness Breaks—Staff and Faculty Suggestions
 Everything was great.
 It was pretty awesome as is. Cindy was great! Learned new healthy snack secrets and exercises we can
do in our office.
 Keep it going!
Wellness Breaks—Wellness Consultants’ Comments

UAF Admissions Department: Everyone in the department is enrolled in the IHP program. Most of the
staff appears to be under 40 years of age. Their workload demand increases with student inquiries which is
not controllable.

UAF Wood Center Staff: An IHP client who works with Heidi had a 40 point improvement in the LDL’s!
Another person’s triglycerides dropped from the 400’s to 150 (desired level). This group is very interested in
good health.
All Services—Staff and Faculty Comments
 It is awesome that Pilates has been added to the Health in Action program. Pilates has improved my back
and overall health. Wellness Consultant Heidi Beer is wonderful and Brook Predeger does a good job too!
WIN for Alaska is the best thing that UA has ever offered [employees]. I am excited about GTP. It gives me
ideas for other activities, along with the ones I am currently doing. Also, the IHP sessions helped me
significantly lower my cholesterol, blood pressure and fat levels last year.
Midday Health Forum: How to Navigate Get the Point—Wellness Consultants’ Comments
 The attendee was using GTP, but did not know how to use other features, besides "My Tracking," to gain
points. As a result, modifications were made to the GTP website and to the Health Link to help staff and
faculty utilize GTP better.
 One attendee is going to check his schedule to sign up for an IHP session and do GTP.
Page 14