Confluence Signs On for UPMC Health Plan's 'MyHealth Coach @ Work'

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An on-site health coach may sound like a "luxury," for most businesses, but UPMC Health Plan is making it an affordable benefit option for companies of all sizes through a pilot program titled, MyHealth Coach @ Work.

Confluence, a global leader in investment data management automation headquartered in Pittsburgh, this fall became the first local company to participate in MyHealth Coach @ Work. A UPMC Health Plan health coach works with employees at Confluence's North Shore location for four hours, one day each week.

MyHealth Coach @ Work allows employers to purchase the services of health coaches on a part-time basis, to fit their specific needs. This makes the service more affordable to a wider range of companies.  

"This is another way we can reach out to companies that are looking for ways to improve employee wellness programs," said Michael Parkinson, MD, Senior Medical Director of Health and Productivity for UPMC Health Plan. "Having a health coach on-site is a great way to help enhance employee engagement in a company's wellness program. And, it makes sense for companies of many different sizes."

Among the on-site services the health coach offers are non-invasive biometric measures, fitness assessments, coaching sessions, referral to disease management programs and "Lunch and Learn" presentations for all employees.  The coach also serves on Confluence's Wellness Committee and assists in designing programs and campaigns intended to reach all levels of wellness in the company.

"We are pleased to introduce this newest component into our already robust wellness program," said Janis Shaw, Vice President, People, for Confluence. "Our claims history suggests that our employees are healthier now than they were a few years ago, so it's working.  The partnership with Confluence and UPMC Health Plan is all about that – working together to manage health.  "I want UPMC Health Plan to be able to point to us as a company that made a commitment to its employees' health and by doing so was able to also lower its premiums."

Confluence has been an active participant in UPMC Health Plan's wellness programs since 2009. In 2011, Confluence added UPMC Health Plan's "Take a Healthy Step" component to its benefits menu. This program encourages employees to earn points by participating in activities such as receiving a flu shot, taking steps to quit smoking, enrolling in weight-loss coaching and signing up for massages. 

About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, one of the nation's top-ranked health systems. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 1.8 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

About Confluence
Founded in 1991, Confluence is a global leader in administration automation. Confluence helps investment management companies gain unprecedented control by automating every step of the fund administration process—including the collection, creation, confirmation, and delivery of investment product data. Results are lower costs, reduced risk, decreased reporting turnaround times, and the scalability to automate more processes without additional resources. Confluence solutions are used by 40 percent of the leading global investment managers, and more than 60 percent of U.S. mutual funds. The Unity® platform from Confluence addresses a wide range of problems from performance measurement to customized reporting for a full array of domestic and international managed investment products, including mutual funds, funds of funds, collective funds, separate accounts, and variable products, as well as hedge funds and other alternative investments. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Confluence serves the international fund industry with key locations in San Francisco, CA, London and Luxembourg. For more information, visit www.confluence.com.

SOURCE UPMC Health Plan