American Specialty Health (ASH) Internal Wellness Program Receives Innovative Program Award from ESM Association
SAN DIEGO (September 09, 2009) –
Health and wellness company American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) recently received Employee Services Management Association's 2009 Innovative Program Award for its internal "Go Green With Your Routine" walking challenge. The Innovative Program Award recognizes an individual program or activity within an overall employee services program that is either new to the company or to the employee services industry.
ASH's "Go Green With Your Routine" walking contest, organized through ASH's prevention and wellness subsidiary Healthyroads, was created in May 2008 to encourage employee health improvement in eco-friendly ways. The contest goal was for ASH employees to walk or run 150,000 steps over the course of a month using a wireless accelerometer to track their progress. Exercise data was uploaded instantaneously to a personal Healthyroads Web site when employees walked by special sensors placed throughout ASH's headquarters. The online account gave employees the option to convert other activities-such as bicycling and weight lifting-into steps and set physical activity goals.
Many ASH employees went above and beyond the contest goal. Sixty-one percent participated, and of this, 70 percent of them reached the goal of 150,000 steps or more in the month of May. Nine employees logged over a half a million steps, two had over 900,000 steps, and one employee even broke the 1-million-step mark. In total, the winners of the contest walked 70,962,027 steps over 31 days. This is roughly equivalent to walking around the world—and then some!
Those who achieved or surpassed the contest goal were awarded with an Earth-friendly, reusable canvas bag, which is designed to eliminate the need for wasteful plastic grocery and other shopping bags.
"Organizing a challenge that raises awareness for the environment while improving employee health takes effort, commitment, and not a small amount of creativity," said ASH chairman and CEO George DeVries. "To be recognized by ESM Association for our work makes it all the more gratifying for all of us."
ESM Association will award ASH on October 19, 2009, during its Employee Morale Conference at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront, St. Louis, MO.
About ESM Association
Employee Services Management (ESM) Association is a national nonprofit association that has helped employee services providers perform their jobs better for almost 70 years. Employee services providers typically work in the human resource departments of organizations. They are responsible for managing employee services, including recreation programs, community services, recognition programs, event planning, childcare/eldercare services, convenience services, and travel offerings. ESM Association exists to enhance the employee services profession through education, peer networking and discounts on products and services.
About American Specialty Health and Healthyroads
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a national health and wellness company that provides population health management programs including prevention and wellness services, specialty network management programs, and fitness and exercise services to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds. Based in San Diego since its inception in 1987, ASH has 700 employees and covers over 15.6 million members.
Healthyroads, Inc. is the prevention and wellness services subsidiary of ASH. Healthyroads offers a wide range of wellness solutions- including award-winning telephone-based coaching programs for weight management, tobacco cessation, and healthy living, and products and resources through its integrated Web site, Healthyroads.com.
For more information about ASH health and wellness programs, visit www.ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.