Executive Summary
Health Net Inc is a health insurance company that services both commercial and state programs.
Health Net of California is a subsidiary of Health Net Inc, which focuses directly on California State
Health Programs, including Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, Access for Infants & Mothers, Medi-Cal, and
Health Net Dental. The Health Education Department in Pasadena, California provides variety of health
education programs, such as smoking cessation, dental, breastfeeding and weight management, for
medical members throughout the state.
My role as Health Net Health Education Intern during summer 2010 focused around weight
management programs, especially for children and adolescents. With over half of the adult population
being overweight and obese, California has faced sharp rise in obesity within the past decades.1 The
trend is expected to worsen with 22 percent of Californian children and teens being overweight as 40 to
80 percent of them are expected to become overweight adults.2,3 The obesity rate is especially high in
low income households.4 As an insurance company that service low income communities of California,
Health Net of California dedicates significant portion of efforts and funding in developing programs to
prevent obesity and help manage weight for its members. Under the direction of my preceptor, Hoa Su
and supervision of Health Education Consultant, Dennis Carrillo my fieldwork involved creating provider
communication tool, planning and implementing body mass index (BMI) training event, and evaluating
existing weight management programs.
As a committee member of Los Angeles Collaborative for Healthy Active Children, Health Net is
involved with the Rethink Your Drink Initiative. My assignment was to create a communication tool to
help providers discuss limiting sugar sweetened beverage consumption to their patients. A survey was
conducted among pediatricians throughout California to gauge the need and format of the tool. A flip
chart and prescription form containing messages on health risks of sugary drinks, recommendations to
alternatives, and parenting tips were drafted. Both pieces were divided for two age groups, one for
infant to six years and the other for older than seven years. The concept drafts were submitted to
Provider Communication and Marketing Departments to be designed into final products.
In order to raise awareness of childhood obesity among providers and provider staff, Health Net
has produced Childhood Obesity Assessment Toolkit and promoted it through in-service trainings
throughout the state. In collaboration with Cultural & Linguistics as well as Community Solutions
Departments, I planned and implemented “Childhood Obesity Prevention & BMI” training at the
Memorial Hospital of Gardena on August 18, 2010. Providers and provider staffs attended the luncheon
event and received information on environmental determinants of obesity, BMI training, PM-160 form
(confidential screening and billing form) training, and cultural views of weight. Evaluation for the event
was assessed.
Health Net currently provides variety of weight management services for members. Fit Families
for Life program teaches community members healthy nutrition and active lifestyles. Nutrition Support
Line provides counseling by registered nurses. Evaluation of these programs from January to June 2010
was conducted. Summary reports created reflect outcome evaluations of these programs as well as
suggestions for improvements.
Michelle Kang
Advisor: Gail Harrison
Preceptor: Hoa Su
Health Net of California, Health Education Internship
June 21 ~ September 2, 2010
1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2004.
California Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance. 2003.
3
Guo SS, Chumlea WC. Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 70 (suppl):145S-148S, 1999.
4
California Health Interview Survey, 2010.
2