The Vitality Group Adds New Clients to Roster of Employers Committed to Wellness

CHICAGO, May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vitality Group, developer of an incentive-based health and wellness program, today announced several new employers that are implementing the Vitality™ program for their employees across the United States. HealthCare Partners Medical Group, Jos. A. Bank and Texas Capital Bank are among the latest customers to join Vitality to improve the health and well being of their employees as well as their bottom line.

"Our commitment to wellness isn't new," said Robert Margolis, MD, Chairman and CEO of HealthCare Partners, LLC, based in Torrance, Calif. "We continue to be committed to improving the health of our employees, as well as the broader population we serve. By incorporating the Vitality program, we hope to motivate employees with good health to maintain it, and provide encouragement and tools to help those employees who need to improve their health."

According to a recent survey by the National Business Group on Health and Towers Watson, employers cite their employees' poor health habits as the primary barrier to providing an affordable healthcare benefit.

"Healthier employees tend to be more productive, less stressed, happier and have lower healthcare claims costs," said Arthur C. Carlos, CEO of The Vitality Group. "As employers continue to struggle with rising healthcare costs and the uncertainty of the implications of health reform, they are looking for wellness programs that deliver a positive return on investment. The addition of a comprehensive, incentive-based wellness program like Vitality will help employers engage and motivate their employees to meet wellness goals that in the long run will reduce healthcare costs and increase productivity and morale."

How Vitality Works

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™. 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™, 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 programs. Members are incentivized for their participation throughout the program and earn Vitality Bucks™, redeemable for merchandise on the Vitality Mall.

"We are pleased to be partnering with Vitality to improve the health and wellness of our employees," said Mandy Jones, Vice President, Benefits Manager, Texas Capital Bank. "The Vitality program offers meaning on a corporate level by challenging each individual within our organization to live a healthier life and by rewarding those that take action."

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 1.7 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

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Arthur Carlos

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SOURCE The Vitality Group