Unity Connection | News for Employers

Unity Connection
News for Employers, Spring 2016
In ThIs Issue –
Positivity at Work
Change is Possible
Emotional Wellness
Enjoy Spring even with
Asthma
Active Living and
Learning: Diabetes
Your Employees’
Feedback is Important!
Unity en Español:
¡ACHÚ!
2016 National Health
Observances
Member Newsletter
Update
Zika Virus Facts and
Information
Happier Employees are
More Productive and Innovative
The following tips may help you get ideas about how to create a positive work
environment. These tips may also provide you an extra boost of a well-deserved
dose of positivity.
Did you know that only about 25 percent
of job success can be predicted by the
Intelligence Quotient (IQ)? It’s true, but
what about the remaining 75 percent?
Experts suggest that the main factor in
job success can be predicted by optimism
levels, social support and the ability to
view stress as a challenge, rather than
an obstacle.
A positive attitude also plays a major
role when it comes to our health and
happiness. What we believe impacts our
feelings, and in turn, our feelings impact
our body and brain chemistry. Changing
our minds can help us change our bodies.
During positive mental states our brain
releases an important chemical called
Dopamine.
Dopamine is related to –
J Making you feel happy
J Turning on the learning centers
in the brain
J A stronger immune system
J Less stress
J Lower levels of stress hormone
(cortisol)
J Mental well-being
What does this mean in personal and professional lives? A positive brain performs
better than a negative brain. This is known as the happiness advantage.
It can have a big impact on both our personal and work lives.
Positivity boosts –
J Intelligence
J Creativity
J Energy levels
J Personal and work performance
The happiness advantage can help –
J Increase job satisfaction
J Achieve better work-life balance
J Foster a healthy mind and body
J Improve stress management
J Maintain happiness
Positivity at Work
Wouldn’t you agree that happier employees are more productive, more innovative and create a better working
environment? This could be a reality! The following points can be integrated into workplace wellness programs.
Optimism –
Education –
Challenges –
An example of optimism would be
“gain framing” vs. “loss framing.”
Focus on a “glass-full” approach
when introducing new ideas,
policies, procedures or activities to
employees.
This is a big one! Provide
employees with meaningful,
current and accurate information.
Often times we may be teaching
people new things or new ways of
doing old things. Making changes
that improve health and happiness
begins with education.
Here’s a fun way to create
excitement and keep people
engaged. Friendly competition
can really boost morale and
enthusiasm. Whether individual
or group challenges, creative
campaigns and challenges can
spark interest in needed
interventions or important
changes.
Encouragement –
Make wellness programming
as easy to access as possible.
Consider using incentives to help
engage employees.
Support –
It’s important that employees feel
comfortable and safe. Implementing
supportive policies and providing
help for those who may need it is
essential. People aren’t happy if
they don’t feel safe.
Autonomy –
An important factor in building
long-term participation and
achieving meaningful success
is automomy. Let participants
have a voice. People are more
optimistic and positive if they
know they are being listened to
and they know they can make a
difference. Employees enrolled in
wellness programs need to make
the program their own in order to
achieve lasting, long-term success.
And lastly, Fun!
Be creative, be exciting! Do
everything possible to ensure
participation and employee
satisfaction. This improves the
positivity and happiness of the
workforce and also increases the
likelihood that people will stick
with the program in the future.
People who practice positivity are more apt to build new skills and social connections, acquire new knowledge
and reach for bigger goals. Overtime, this can create a rising spiral of effectiveness and success.
unityhealth.com
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Change is Possible!
Tips to consider when promoting
a positive workplace
Emotional
Wellness
Employee Training
Meditation Classes
J Lunch and Learns
J Workshops
J Classes or Counseling
J On-site or off-site classes
J Provide discounts or
reimbursements
Acts of Kindness
Workplace Ambience
Unity Health Insurance
cares about the health
and wellness of your
employees. Being well
means having an enjoyable
and productive life.
J Appreciation Notes / Messages
J Blood Donation
J Buy a coworker coffee
J Recognize contribution
J Share praise
J “Go home early” certificates
J Take someone to lunch
J Random Acts of Kindness
(RAK) week
J Windows
J Color
Unity’s Emotional Wellness
offers information about –
J Lighting
J Decoration
J Alcohol Use and Abuse
J Acoustics
J Ergonomics
J Attention-Deficit /
Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD)
Increase Activity
J Depression
Gratitude Wall
J Physical Activity and
Stretch Breaks
J Activity campaigns
J Create a wall or space within the
workplace using chalk, whiteboard,
post-it notes, etc.
J Encourage employees to post or list
what they are grateful for
J Fitness classes and challenges
J Re-think workstations
J Walking Programs and / or
meetings
J Reimbursements
J Anxiety
J Stress
To learn more about
Emotional Wellness,
please have your
employees contact –
J (866) 884-4601
Ext. 54275
J Or (608) 821-4275
Journaling Breaks
J Allow and encourage a journal break
within the workday
J Incentivize / Reward participation
of 21 consecutive days
Sources:
McIntosh, Jacob (2015), Student in the
University of Wisconsin Health & Wellness
Management Program, “The Power of
Positivity: Making Happiness a Choice,”
presentation / paper presented to the
UW Health / Unity Health Insurance
Health Services Department.
unityhealth.com
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Unity also offers
Behavioral Health and
Chemical Dependency /
Alcohol and Other Drug
Abuse (AODA) Services.
For more resources,
encourage your employees
to visit their Personal
Wellness Portal.
Enjoy Spring Even with Asthma
As plants start to bloom, many people with asthma begin to have allergy or
asthma symptoms. Share the following information with your employees to
help them decrease the likelihood of having an asthma flare-up.
J Begin to take allergy medication
a few weeks before plants start
blooming and the snow starts
to melt
J Take an asthma controller as
prescribed and adjust to a higher
dose if recommended by a doctor
or nurse
J Take medications that have worked
well in the past for allergies or
asthma
J Have a rescue inhaler ready to use
J Before Spring comes, meet with
a doctor or nurse to develop an
asthma action plan
J Prior to exercising outside, take
asthma and allergy medication as
prescribed by a doctor or nurse
J Make sure that inhalers have not
expired
References: news-medical.net/news/20140221/ACAAI-experts-suggest-allergy-sufferersto-start-taking-medication-before-spring-begins.aspx
healthwise.net/unityhealth/Content/StdDocument.aspx?DOCHWID=hw271348#hw163657
Active Living and Learning:
Diabetes
To help prevent diabetes, Unity Health Insurance is teaming up with
UW Health Preventive Cardiology to offer members a program called
Active Living and Learning. Active Living and Learning is an 11-month
lifestyle change process supervised by experts in exercise, nutrition and
behavior. The goal is to prevent or reverse Type 2 diabetes in people with
borderline blood sugar levels or who have been recently diagnosed with
Type 2 diabetes. The program is available to Unity members who have been –
At Unity Health Insurance we’re
committed to improving our
services for you and your
employees. We perform monthly
member surveys to find out
what your employees think
about our services. If your
employees have called customer
service or had recent claims,
they may get a call from a Unity
Health Insurance representative
between the hours of 9 a.m. to
9 p.m. If selected, they will be
asked to participate in a brief
survey.
Please share this information
with your employees and
encourage them, if selected, to
complete the survey in order
to ensure that we continue to
provide services that meet their
needs.
Their feedback is very important
for us. We ask about –
J Access to providers
J Benefits coverage
J Care received
J Claims service
J Customer service
J Diagnosed with diabetes within the prior year
J Enrollment service
J Diagnosed with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome
Responses are confidential
and will not affect health
benefits or result in a
sales solicitation. To see
our up-to-date member
satisfaction results, please
visit unityhealth.com/
membersatisfaction
J Using metformin for less than one year
Interested individuals who meet these criteria will be asked to participate in
a readiness interview. A $250 deposit is necessary to join; however, it will be
reimbursed in full at the completion of the program.
To learn more about the program please have your employees call the Health
Services toll-free line at (866) 884-4601 ext. 54802, direct (608) 821-4802,
or fax (608) 821-4884.
4
Your Employees’
Feedback is
Important!
Unity en
español
¡ACHÚ!
Mi hijo siempre tiene la nariz congestionada y estornuda
muy frecuentemente, parece como que tiene catarro todo
el tiempo ¿Qué puedo hacer?
Probablemente su hijo sufre de alergias de la nariz.
Las alergias son un grupo de enfermedades
que representan la respuesta de nuestro
sistema de defensa, reaccionando
exageradamente a un estímulo del medio
ambiente.
nU
Uestra salUd
Unity Health Insurance y
UW Health, con el apoyo
del Consejo Latino de la
Salud, le recuerda que
sintonice el programa de
radio Nuestra Salud.
Nuestra Salud el primer
lunes de cada mes de
9 a.m. a 11 a.m. en
WLMV La Movida 1480AM.
Próximos programas –
J 4 de abril: Estrés:
diagnóstico y cómo
manejarlo
J 2 de mayo:
Planificación Familiar
J 6 de junio: Popurrí
Conozca más visitando
unityhealth.com/es/
nuestra-salud.
Dentro de la familia de las alergias se
encuentran enfermedades tan graves como
las reacciones alérgicas a medicamentos
que pueden poner en peligro la vida.
Existen otro tipo de alergias como la alergia
de los ojos y la alergia de la nariz, un poco
menos serias pero que también necesitan
tratamiento para mejorar nuestro estado de
salud.
La alergia de la nariz es bastante frecuente,
la mayoría de las veces no se identifica lo
que la causa, pero el diagnóstico se lleva
a cabo después de analizar los síntomas
y de hacer un examen médico de la nariz.
En muchos casos existe historia familiar de
algún tipo de alergia.
Algunos de los síntomas pueden ser –
J Congestión de la nariz que puede
empezar o alternarse con escurrimiento
de la nariz, estornudos frecuentes
J Comezón en la nariz y / u ojos
J Tos crónica
Algunas veces la alergia se presenta
solamente en temporadas, como por
ejemplo en la primavera cuando todas
las flores y el pasto empiezan a crecer
liberando muchas partículas de polen y
otras cosas que pueden causar la alergia.
Otras veces la alergia se presenta todo el
tiempo.
Existen varias razones del por qué es
importante encontrar y tratar las alergias
de la nariz, por ejemplo, entre otras
razones; las personas que sufren de este
padecimiento tienen mayor riesgo de
tener infecciones respiratorias, pueden
oler menos, tienen síntomas que son muy
molestos y problemas para respirar.
Es muy importante que si cree que usted o
alguien de su familia puede tener problemas
de alergias, hable con su doctor regular, la
mayoría de las veces no es necesario ver
a un especialista de alergias. Las alergias
no se curan completamente pero pueden
ser controladas la mayoría de las veces con
buenos resultados ya sea con medicamentos
tomados o con inhaladores para la nariz.
¡Deje de gastar en pañuelos y consulte
a su médico!
J En casos más avanzados, dificultad para
respirar a través de la nariz. Muchas
veces debido a esta dificultad para
respirar los niños respiran por la boca y
roncan más de lo común
Por la Dra. Patricia Téllez-Girón
Catedrática de la Universidad de Wisconsin, Departamento de Medicina familiar, Clínica Wingra
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Unity Health Insurance • unityhealth.com/espanol
2016 National Health Observances
MARCH
J Colorectal Cancer
Awareness Month
Prevent Cancer Foundation
preventcancer.org
J National Kidney Month
National Kidney Foundation
kidney.org
J National Nutrition Month®
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
eatright.org/nnm
J March 22nd - American Diabetes
Alert Day
American Diabetes Association
diabetes.org
APRIL
MAY
J Alcohol Awareness Month
National Council of Alcoholism and
Drug Dependence, Inc.
ncadd.org
J National Autism Awareness Month
The Autism Society
autism-society.org
J April 7th – World Health Day
World Health Organization
who.int/en
J Global Employee Health and
Fitness Month
National Association for
Health and Fitness
healthandfitnessmonth.com
J Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection
and Prevention Month®
American Academy of Dermatology
spotskincancer.org
J Mental Health Month
Mental Health America
mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may
J May 8-14 National Women’s
Health Week
Office of Women’s Health
womenshealth.gov
healthfinder.gov/NHO for additional
A Visit
resources and information
Member Newsletter Update
Your employees will soon receive Pulse, featuring the following information –
J The Power of Positivity: Choosing Happiness
J Hypoglycemia: What you should know
J Leaping Into Spring even with Asthma
J Advance Care Planning
J Spring Break Plans? Stay Healthy!
J Fill it in and Win Winter Winners
And much more!
ZIKA VIRUS – FACTS AND INFORMATION
With Spring coming soon, people may be worried about the Zika virus. It’s good to know that it is passed on to humans by
two kinds of mosquitoes that have not been found in Wisconsin. However, if you have employees that are planning to travel
to places where these mosquitoes live, such as areas in Central and South America or the Caribbean, please have them
review the information from the Wisconsin Health Department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention –
dhs.wisconsin.gov/arboviral/zika.htm or cdc.gov/zika/index.html.
For questions, you may contact Unity Customer Service by –
J Sending a message through unitymychart.com
J Calling (800) 362-3310 weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Secure messages are answered during normal business hours
Unity Health Insurance
840 Carolina Street
Sauk City, WI 53583
6
Unity Health Insurance is a Qualified Health Plan issuer in the Health Insurance marketplace. Unity Health
Insurance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, or health status in the administration of the plan, including enrollment and
benefit determinations.