Vitality(TM) program provides customized incentives and rewards to encourage healthy lifestyles
Nov. 4, 2009 (PR Newswire) --
CHICAGO and ST. LOUIS, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vitality Group today announced that Savvis, Inc. has selected its incentive-based wellness program to motivate and support Savvis associates as they take ownership of their personal health. Savvis, one of the largest IP network and hosting providers in the world employs more than 2,200 employees. The Vitality(TM) program will be made available to its U.S. employees.
"We are incorporating this program as a key element of our overall benefits offering to provide our employees with the tools and support to be healthy," said Laura Fisher, VP, Human Resources Operations, Savvis. "We selected Vitality because it has tools to motivate those with good heath to maintain it, as well as tools to help employees with health challenges. We've already seen a significant improvement in participation of health screenings, increased 200 percent from last year, with additional screenings still to be held. We are pleased to be partnering with Vitality and look forward to having healthier and more productive employees."
Accessed online, the Vitality program begins with a Health Risk Assessment that identifies relative risk factors for each member and provides them with their Vitality Age(TM). This is a scientifically calculated representation of their risk-adjusted or "true" age, allowing each member to easily understand how their current behaviors are impacting their health. Additionally, each member is presented with a Personal Pathway(TM), or a personalized set of activities and goals to assist them in improving their health. This provides a verifiable and clinically sound mechanism to track and reward more than 30 health-related activities including exercising, achieving health goals such as losing weight or stopping smoking, receiving routine preventive care, such as a prostate exam or mammogram, and participating in health education program. Members are incentivized for their participation throughout the program and earn Vitality Bucks(TM), redeemable for merchandise on the Vitality Mall.
"In the last decade, healthcare premium costs have increased 131 percent, presenting a significant cost burden for employers," said Arthur C. Carlos, CEO of The Vitality Group. "Companies such as Savvis, with the foresight to invest in and provide incentives to encourage healthier employees, should see a positive return on investment through improved productivity and healthcare claim savings."
About Savvis
Savvis, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVVS) is a global leader in outsourced internet infrastructure services for the enterprise. More than 4,000 customers, including 40 percent of the top 100 companies in the Fortune 500, use Savvis to reduce capital expense, improve service levels and harness the latest advances in cloud computing. For more information about Savvis, visit www.savvis.net.
About The Vitality Group
The Vitality Group is a member of Discovery Holdings Limited, a leading international financial services institution founded on the principles of consumer engagement and wellness and the originator of the Vitality health promotion program. Vitality wellness programs serve more than 1.5 million members in companies in a wide range of sizes and industry categories, improving individuals' health and well-being as well as employers' and health plans' bottom lines. Early adopters in the United States include some of America's most forward-thinking companies. They join global organizations in the United Kingdom and South Africa who together are proving the effectiveness of the Vitality health enhancement solution in reducing healthcare costs. www.thevitalitygroup.com
SOURCE The Vitality Group
