A new batch of students is joining the ranks of University of Louisville alumni. At its Dec. 15, 2022, committee meeting, the UofL Board of Trustees approved a measure to confer degrees to approximately 2,300 students at the December 2022 commencement exercises. Several graduate success stories have been published in UofL News. More details about December 2022 commencement are available on the .

Intentional wellness

Mary Elizabeth Miles, vice president for university human resources, provided an update on UofL’s many new and ongoing wellness initiatives. Among the 2022 successes are enhancements to the Get Healthy Now incentive program, Wellness Wednesday sessions, a new Wellness Resource Guide and health advocate services. Miles describes these and the other wellness initiatives as “intentional wellness” initiatives, which account for the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of UofL’s more than 7,000 employees.

Compensation and Total Rewards Study

Miles also shared an update about the university’s . For the past two years, UofL has been conducting the study in partnership with Segal, an HR consulting firm with expertise in higher education, to provide fair and equitable faculty (nonclinical) and staff compensation programs as identified in the 2019 – 2022 strategic plan. The university will use the results of this study to provide opportunities for career development and advancement, provide a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package, follow “best practice” philosophy and align the university’s job and pay structure with the market.

To date, committees of faculty, staff and senior administrators have established guiding principles for compensation and total rewards issues and assessed the university’s current job architecture, looking for opportunities to create synergy among professional titles and responsibilities. Efforts currently focus on a salary market assessment. Final results of the Compensation & Rewards Study will be presented in the second quarter of 2023.

Workday

Also about two years in the making is the university-wide transition from the PeopleSoft human resources (HR) management software to the new system. Workday will go live the week of Jan. 9, 2023, and will improve several university operations including payroll processing, employee management, hiring and benefits among others. More than 120 training sessions for university employees have been completed to date with several more scheduled after implementation.

Stable finances

Dan Durbin, vice president for finance and administration/CFO, reported that the university’s general fund is still performing well although fiscal year-to-date activity is approximately $25 million less compared to this time last year. Durbin said that the deficit can be attributed to such factors as revenue lost due to one less home football game and the ticket payment due date for men’s basketball tickets (ULAA); timing of the IGT match payment (ULRF); and lower than anticipated graduate level enrollments. Durbin said that mitigation plans are underway to counter shortfalls and is confident that trends will continue toward a balanced budget in the spring.

The next regular meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees is Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. Meeting minutes and other information is available on the .

Over the last month, UofL has increased the amount of wellness opportunities available to faculty and staff. While these opportunities have been previously announced on various internal webpages and within the UofL Today employee newsletter, below you will find a central listing of the opportunities compiled for your convenience.

Virtual Classes and Fitness at Home

Get Healthy Now (GHN), the university’s employee wellness program, has collected multiple online resources for staying active and focusing on your wellness.

• is a collection of stretches for your back, neck, arms and legs. Whether you’re sitting at a desk, on the couch or somewhere else in your home, you can follow these short videos for a quick, seated stretch break. The stretches are designed to release tension, ease anxiety, and get relief from aches and pains.
• is a written workout plan you can do at home by following the visuals and step-by-step techniques for exercising with resistance bands.
• is a YouTube yoga channel for families that incorporates yoga movements into interactive stories and songs. The energetic instructor uses her British accent to take families on virtual adventures that build strength, balance and confidence.
• is an online collection of dance tutorials provided by the Louisville Ballet for families to stay active and creative together. The tutorials include a wide range of dance warm-ups, ballet basics, and folk dances from around the world.

The Department of Intramural and Recreational Sports is offering multiple virtual fitness opportunities that are open to faculty and staff.

• Virtual Fitness Consultations are free to all employees Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. When you sign up for a 15-minute, one-on-one virtual consultation with a certified fitness instructor, you’ll receive a customized exercise routine based on what you have available in your home. To get started, send an email to woodall@louisville.edu.
• Mile Club is an exercise program that encourages participants to walk, run, hike or bike the miles they would have traveled this summer to a destination. With the Mile Club, you can email your destination and weekly totals to the host, or you can download the app and join the UofL SRC Mile Club there to track your miles. Once you “arrive” to your destination, Intramurals staff will send you a champion t-shirt.

  
  To join the club on the app, download “Strava” on your smart phone and touch “Sign Up.” Skip any free trials that pop up to maintain a basic, free account. Touch the “Club” tab, then touch “Explore Clubs,” then “Clubs” again. In the search bar, type “UofL SRC Mile Club” and touch the club to join it.

Mental Health and Connection

Human Resources is offering a new professional/personal growth series called “Learning Cafes.” There are also many existing benefits for employees that can support your overall well-being.

• are online sessions focused on continuing your professional and personal growth while working at home. Each “cafe” features a topic of interest, guidance from a seasoned moderator, an engaging activity or reading, and time for discussion and sharing to renew your connection to the UofL family. Topics include talking to your kids about furloughs, staying motivated while working remote, meditation, how employee resource groups can support you, and more.
• is an online program and app available for Anthem members that helps users learn to reduce stress and monitor different areas of their health. For example, you can utilize their daily mood tracker to analyze your patterns, take mini interactive courses on focus areas such as “Controlling Anxiety,” listen to relaxation audios, and scroll through uplifting images and quotes that update every time you log on. There is also a specific set of practical tools and articles dedicated just to coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

  
  To get started, log in to , click on “My Health Dashboard,” then “Programs,” and you’ll find “MyStrength.” Follow the prompts to set up your customized MyStrength account. If you already have an Anthem account, you can download the MyStrength app on your smart phone and sign in there to keep your customized program and tools within easy reach.

• The (EAP), is a university benefit that provides free and confidential counseling services and resources to you and your household family members, even if you aren’t enrolled in a UofL medical plan. Managed by a third party, Human Development Company, the program’s counselors are available 24/7 and you can get up to eight free confidential sessions per topic, per year. Topics you can discuss with a counselor include grief and loss, stress management, alcohol/substance use, marital/relationship, depression, workplace concerns, Counselors can also provide referrals for things such as day care, elder care and financial concerns.

  
  Individual use of the EAP is confidential and not reported to your supervisor nor the university. Call 502-589-HELP (4357) or 800-877-8332, or go to to schedule an appointment.

Health Promotion, a division of Campus Health Services, has expanded some of their program offerings to include faculty and staff.

• is a four-week class that teaches participants evidence-based methods for mindfulness, meditation and stress resilience. The “Koru Basics” introductory course is available now through June. After completion of “Koru Basics,” participants may advance to “Koru 2.0” for an additional four-week class.
• is a set of guided narrations meant to facilitate mindfulness by walking listeners through “slow looking” at works of art. Originally created for in-person art observations at the Speed, the guided prompts can also be used with artwork available in your home or with the Speed’s online collections. For example, you can open their online and listen to while you observe a work of art.

Trager Institute, the university’s hub for optimal aging research, innovation and care management, offers multiple opportunities for employees to stay connected over topics related to holistic health.

• is a weekly virtual meeting open to those who want to learn more about individual, family and community holistic health. These weekly meetings occur every Monday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and feature a range of holistic health topics, guest speakers, activities and open discussions. Meetings are designed to help participants cope with the pandemic and provide a space to bring your concerns for peer support.
• is a virtual meditation series offered every Friday at 12:30 p.m. Sessions are hosted by one of the Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic mental health providers, Anna Walton, LCSW. Participants will address their stress and anxiety during this uncertain time through her guided meditations.

We are all navigating the unknown together. Your total well-being is critical and UofL has multiple resources and opportunities available right now to help you. Carve out some time in your calendar to schedule a meeting with yourself and look further into these opportunities today.

Opportunities listed above might not be an exhaustive list of all available wellness opportunities, and new ones may become available. If your department also offers a wellness opportunity that is open to all employees, be sure to submit an announcement so that it can be featured in the UofL Today employee newsletter.

Like other winners, Pardieu is tasked with helping the American Heart Association educate others on how to make similar lifestyle changes with the ultimate goal of improving everyone’s cardiovascular health.Ìę

Pardieu began her journey to change her life because of her family history of heart disease.Ìę

“The goal was simply to live longer. A change was necessary to my well being,” she said. “I lost a brother and a father, so i don’t view this as a choice — it’s a requirement. This award of recognition was amazing to me because it was a reminder that I’m making the right choices in my goal to live longer.”

Those changes began with implementing a regular exercise routine. She at Get Healthy Now. After nine months of personal training, she began to incorporate healthy eating habits.Ìę

Since January 2018, Pardieu has lost 33 pounds.Ìę

“I am continuing this regimen and the Get Healthy team has been with me every step of the way and has kept me motivated,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without them. My drive, determination and support from Get Healthy Now definitely got me where I am today.” 

In addition to maintaining her current workout schedule, her next goal is to add one group class per week.Ìę

“I want to continue improving …” she said. Her ultimate dream is to retire healthy and travel.Ìę

Because of her efforts, and well before the American Heart Association’s recognition, Pardieu was named Get Healthy Now’s Member of the Month in April. She is a 16-year employee of UofL.Ìę

UofL scored 67.09 out of a possible 100 on the health employer index (HEI), which is 10 points higher than the national average (58.7) and higher than the Louisville average as well. The average index for a Louisville company this year was 60.4 – up 17 points from last year.Ìę

“It is great to see how we stack up against so many other business and organizations, locally and nationally, and to know UofL is well-positioned as a leader,”  said Patricia Benson, AVP of Health, Wellness and Disease Management.Ìę

Benson said the UofL team will review the six key metrics of the HEI index to consider how to improve the employee wellness program, as well as how to best serve the entire campus community.Ìę

“That is one of the positives that come from events and competitions like Healthiest Employer.Ìę It gives us an understanding of how we are doing in comparison to the industry as a whole and where to make changes,” she said.Ìę

UofL has participated in the Business First Healthiest Employer competition since inception, securing the title as Healthiest Employer in the inaugural event in 2010. This year’s large group category competition included companies such as Yum! Brands, Humana, Norton Healthcare, GE Appliances and more.

Benson said since 2010, more companies — both locally and nationally — have implemented worksite wellness programs, reaping positive rewards.Ìę

“UofL has a great story to share in that regard – both in terms of return on investment and value on investment,” she said. “We will continue looking for ways to expand our comprehensive health and wellness offerings with the heart of every employee in the forefront of our mind.”

Methodology

The Healthy Employer Index (HEI) is based on an analysis of the company’s wellness program in six key metrics:  

• Culture/leadership commitment;
• Foundational components;
• Strategic planning;
• Communications/marketing;
• Programming/interventions; and
• Reporting/analysis.

The scores were calculated by Healthiest Employers, an Indianapolis-based research firm. The scores are calculated using an online survey completed by participating employers. Each employer is ranked with their individual Healthiest Employer Index (HEI). The survey consists of 75 scored questions.

There are five conditions that qualify for eligibility in the program: Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, COPD and asthma. As part of this update, GHN brought two ULP employees on site – Ketia Zuckschwerdt, RN, who is the program manager, and Mary Corbett, APRN – to work directly with participants throughout their care process.

“There is nobody better than a nurse and a nurse practitioner to understand the needs of a patient and triage them where they need to go. That’s why this program is so great – they can point them in the right direction. It’s a unique program and a dynamic partnership,” said Patricia Benson, AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management. “Mary and Ketia are able to serve as a nurse, health coach, pharmacy consultant and care navigator all rolled into one.”

Zuckschwerdt said the program’s incentives include cost savings.  

“There is a money-saving incentive because you’re automatically eligible for the $40-a-month incentive with HR. There is also a pharmacy incentive – generic medications are free for the program they’re enrolled in and there are also cost savings for higher-cost medications,” she said. “Insulin is typically $60 to $100 a month. In our program, they would pay $20.”

More importantly, however, there is a holistic care incentive with an objective of helping participants live healthier lives.

“We are doing care management, setting goals and following up with them, and working with their physicians,” Zuckschwerdt said. “There’s a big accountability piece to this so we can make sure they’re doing what they said they were going to do. It’s a wrap-your-arms-around-you approach and it is very high touch and personalized.”

Corbett said this approach is necessary to navigate the health care system complexities that may deter people from succeeding in getting healthier.

“Many people have multiple providers and specialists and they’re prescribing different things. Things are segmented and we’re trying to break down those silos,” Corbett said. “We’re communicating with their primary physician; not taking over, but streamlining so we can help them be their own best health advocates.”

Since the program changed to become more holistic last year, there has been a reduction in diabetic A1C results. The team has also received positive feedback from participants.

“In the past year I have experienced some odd medical issues and I have particularly appreciated how the staff has intervened on my behalf with physicians, often obtaining test results before I could and making certain I understood the doctors’ recommendations,” one participant wrote. “The folks with the program have been with me through all the ups and downs, and their assistance navigating what can often be a complex healthcare system has been invaluable. All of this has been in addition to the routine contacts and consistent follow-up as I seek to be the healthiest person – and UofL employee – I can be.”

In order to be as accessible as they can, the Health Management Services team spends three days a week at the GHN center and twice a week on the HSC campus (401 E. Chestnut St.). They also take stay open later on Wednesdays and take lunch-hour appointments.

“Some people don’t enroll because of the time factor and we’re trying to eliminate that barrier,” Corbett said.

The team said the time commitment may also deter some people, but Zuckschwerdt said that does not mean the program is stringent.

“We’re trying to engage participants to be more active and sometimes that means walking or chair yoga. We’re trying to meet them where they are. This is a judgement-free zone,” she said. “We’re also trying to help employees be aware of all of the resources available on campus, outside of this program – things like eating awareness training, the Employee Assistance Program and the Depression Center.”

“Our biggest goal is to make sure people are advocates of their own health. That is going to help them with their productivity and presenteeism, focus and stress management,” Zuckschwerdt said. “We want to help them be their best self.”

To find out whether or not you qualify for the Health Management Services program, a brief lifestyle assessment needs to be completed that considers biological, social and psychological issues related to your condition. The team will then work with your health care partner to develop an individualized program with realistic goals and expectations, taking into consideration your health, lifestyle, support system and schedule demands. For more information, call 502-588-0770 or send an email to healthmanagementservices@ulp.org.

Photo provided by .

Did you know there are mindfulness sessions available if you need a moment to decompress? And that UofL has nutritional, spiritual and financial experts available if you need them?

UofL is a standard-bearer when it comes to employee health and wellness and Get Healthy Now’s Wellarama 2018 will illustrate why. The all-day event on April 26 will feature more than 30 interactive booths showcasing many of the health and wellness resources available for UofL employees, spouses/QAs and affiliated campus partners.

According to Patricia Benson, AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management, this event is an opportunity to educate employees about the breadth and depth of resources on campus, and the timing is perfect.

“Now is an important time to let the campus know these resources are here. These are tough times and people are stressed,” she said. “There are many opportunities where we can help our Cardinal family, but they have to know about them in order to take advantage of them.”

Benson added that wellness efforts are increasingly being integrated into organizations nationwide because employers now realize the benefits of having healthier employees.

“We’re catching this at the right time. We’ve been around since 2005 and we’re not a young incubator anymore; we can bring value to the table and that is what we intend on doing at this event,” Benson said. “We want people to discover the constructs of our campus where they can tap into physical and mental resources, and we want to make sure we build a culture at UofL that supports those dimensions.”

Agenda

The Wellarama event is April 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the GHN Wellness Center, 601 Presidents Blvd. The event includes massage therapy, healthy snacks, interactive activities, fitness classes, presentations and more.

Organizations that will be on hand include the American Heart Association, Fidelity, Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging, Interfaith Center, Kentucky Cancer Program, LGBT Center, Livongo, Mealtless Monday, Metro Parks & Recreation, New Roots, Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling, SPHIS, Trive Center, TIAA, Touching Lives LLC, School of Dentistry, UofL Physicians Health Management Services and the Women’s Center.

The agenda includes:

• 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Interactive activities and booths
• 11-11:45 a.m.: gentle chair yoga; ‘Hula” hooping demo; KORU Mindfulness and Meditation session
• 11-11:45 a.m.: Presentation, “Movement Mindset”
• 11-11:45 a.m.: Presentation, “Importance of Health Screenings”
• 12-12:45 p.m.: Fit in 30!; Pilates
• 12-12:45 p.m.: Presentation, “National Minority Health Month: Partnering with for Health Equity”
• 12-12:45 p.m.: Presentation, “Nutrition”
• 12-12:45 p.m.: Presentation, “Why Organic Foods?”
• 12-12:45 p.m.: Presentation, “Navigating a Complex Healthcare System”
• 4:15-5 p.m.: Gentle chair yoga; “Hula” hooping demo; Moment of Mindfulness
• 4:15-5 p.m.: Presentation, “Importance of Health Screenings”
• 4:15-5 p.m.: Presentation, “Heart Health”

Employees can use their 30-minute SLV wellness break to participate in the Wellarama event. A shuttle will be running continuously from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the following pickup/drop off sites:

• Belknap: At the Thinker on the Oval, 2301 S. 3^rd
• HSC: Health Science Building, 505 S. Hancock St.

Additional Information about the event is .Ìę

On April 14, Van Amstel will bring that fitness program to UofL. Get Healthy Now will host two LaBlast classes taught by the Dancing with the Stars world champion. Offerings include LaBlast Fitness, April 14 from 9-10 a.m., and LaBlast Line Dance, April 14 from 6-7 p.m. Both will be held at the GHN Wellness Center, 601 Presidents Blvd. Cost per class is $10, $15 or $20, depending on when tickets are purchased.

For the Early Bird pricing of $10, tickets need to be purchased by March 31.

LaBlast is a described as a multi-level dance fitness program designed for the absolute beginner to the already experienced dancer. While enjoying dances like the Disco, Cha Cha, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble, Merengue, Salsa, etc., over time students progress at their own rate.

“We teach the true skill of dance, to modern music, based on all of the dances you see on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ It’s an excellent way to get your heart rate up, working out your physical body, and work out your emotional-self, by connecting with yourself,”  Van Amstel said.

His visit to UofL was facilitated by Paula Kommor, senior wellness specialist. She met Van Amstel during the Building Healthy Academic Communities Conference in Florida in 2017 and was “more than impressed.”

“Seeing him in action was the highlight of the conference for me. I appreciate his approach, which is similar to the wellness coaching approach that we teach at UofL. Our goal is to get our clients out of their thinking (self-talk) brain into their feeling brain and tap into their heart and their values,” Kommor said.

Kommor connected to Van Amstel and followed up after the conference. At the time, he had rolled out the LaBlast program at Ohio State University, which turned out to be a serendipitous connection.

“Patricia Benson, our AVP of Health, Wellness and Disease Management, has a strong partnership with Ohio State and therefore Louis was thrilled to come to UofL,” Kommor said.

This isn’t the first time GHN has hosted a dancer of this magnitude, however. Ten years ago, UofL hosted Beto Perez, the creator of Zumba Fitness, at Papa John’s Stadium. That year marked the beginning of the Zumba Fitness trend in the U.S. and there were maybe eight instructors in Louisville. Kommor says there are now more than 500 in the city.Ìę

She believes LaBlast is on a similar trajectory.Ìę

“I am personally excited about Louis’ approach to teaching dance. It is powerful and he can motivate anyone – even if you think you have two left feet – to get up and move. He can help them get out of their thoughts and begin by standing up and merely feeling and clapping to the different rhythms,” Kommor said.

Van Amstel’s appearance at UofL will mark the first time he has hosted a master class in the state of Kentucky.

LaBlast offerings at UofL

To get more of an idea of what to expect from LaBlast, the program’s taglines are:  

• “Dance like a star and workout in disguise.”
• “If you can clap it, you can dance it.”

For the 9 a.m. class, LaBlast Fitness, participants can expect an energizing dance fitness class that blends the true skill of ballroom dance with calorie-blasting properties of interval fitness. Carefully-curated music playlists from all eras and genres keep participants engaged and entertaining while learning the Tango, Rumba, Quickstep and more. It is partner free and high energy. .Ìę

For the 6 p.m. class, LaBlast Line Dancing, participants can expect a new approach to traditional line dancing through the easy-to-learn Disco, Foxtrot, Samba, Paso Doble and more. All dances are partner free and can be done anywhere. .Ìę

For additional information, contact Paula Kommor via email.

Starting immediately, the wellness center will switch to a  a month for UofL faculty and staff. Members will be able to sign up for auto withdrawal through payroll if they so wish.

To offset the fee-based membership, GHN is opening up all the activity classes, including “specialty classes” (yoga, Pilates, etc.), to wellness center participants as part of the membership package. Also, incentives – such as a lower rate for those who visit the wellness center more frequently – are currently being explored to lessen the blow of this change.

Patricia Benson, AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management, said this was not an easy decision to make, especially since free membership has long been a perk of working at UofL. But, she says GHN worked to keep the price as low as possible, and well below market price.

“In doing our research, we realized no other gym or wellness center offers their services for free, not even other universities do this – as discovered through benchmarking industry comparison,” she said.

For example, Planet Fitness charges between $10 and $19.99 a month, while more such as the Jewish Community Center ($48-$58/month) and Baptist East Milestone ($80/month) charge more for similar services.Ìę

“The Get Healthy Now Wellness Center is a vital resource for the university and community as a whole during a time when preventative healthcare and active disease management resources are sadly lacking in our state, among the most unhealthy in the nation,” said GHN member Paul Salmon, associate professor of Clinical Psychology. “I know of no other health, wellness or fitness facility for adults in the Louisville community that offers such an outstanding array of benefits to its members.”

Prior to implementing the monthly fee, GHN solicited feedback from some members, many of whom expressed frustration over the proposed change. Benson said she understands where they’re coming from and is empathetic of morale issues.

“We kept our membership rate as low as possible and will continue to look for ways to minimize cost while maximizing value. This is critical to our mission of building a sustainable wellness program with measurable and meaningful impact to the organization and each employee we serve,” Benson said. “We have never lost sight of that goal and the associated objectives of healthcare cost containment, culture of health and wellbeing, and empowering each employee to champion their health.”

During the transition, the GHN Wellness Center Advisory Committee is seeking sponsorship opportunities for membership assistance should an employee need it.

“We simply can’t and won’t allow cost to be a barrier for participation. This is important to us and we will find a way to assist every employee seeking access to the wellness center,” she said.

GHN is currently transitioning the non-fee members through the end of this calendar year. Incentives, such as pedometers, heart rate monitors, work-out shoes, massages, t-shirts, an Apple watch, and a bike, are a few of the items that an employee may earn on a weekly basis by making the transition prior to the end of 2017. These incentives are courtesy of GHN sponsors Schellers and Health Fitness Corp.

GHN employees are ready to assist current members with this transition and have also been registering new employees on-site. Benson is also asking anyone who has additional questions or concerns to contact her directly at 852-1907.

“I understand why people are upset,” she said. “But we have to do a better job educating employees about our objectives. We’re more than just a gym. We are focused on preventative health benefits and saving our employees money on their health in the long term.”

Cost covers comprehensive offerings

For example, for the $15/month fee, offers a plethora of wellness resources such as one-on-one on-site health and wealth coaching, health screenings, fitness evaluations with individualized plans, professional and certified staff, including a nurse and nurse practitioner, and more.

GHN also offers 51 wellness and holistic programs, such as mindfulness and meditation, yoga/Pilates classes, educational lunch and learns, “on-demand” programs and wellness support for departmental meetings/retreats. There is also a full schedule of , including the benefit fair on the Belknap Campus for October’s .Ìę

In 2016 alone, GHN offered more than 400 onsite wellness coaching sessions, 183 personal training sessions, 441 biometric screenings and nearly 5,000 health assessments (half of UofL’s workforce), as summarized in the .Ìę

“Although we are implementing a wellness center fee, many of the resources and services we offer will continue to be available at no cost to the employee,” Benson said.

For more about GHN, check out this .

The Growing Healthy Lives ONE Award recognizes and highlights employers that have gone above and beyond expectations in the areas of employee health and wellness. Attributes of an ideal nominee include businesses that have health programs, incentives and environments that have shown positive results in improving employee health outcomes.

Patricia Benson, UofL’s AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management, said the university’s comprehensive, strategically implemented workplace wellness program helped earn this year’s award.

“The Get Healthy Now team has worked hard to build trust-based partnerships with campus and community stakeholders to drive year-over-year success, program sustainability and demonstrated positive return-on-investment,” she said. “We are recognized nationally and are regularly called upon to share our story with others in the industry seeking to emulate our success.ÌęSuccess as evident in our impact on the bottom line coupled with high employee engagement and retention in the wellness program for 11 consecutive years.”

In 2016, for example, the Get Healthy Now program at UofL generated a 73-percent participation rate in telephonic coaching and held 401 onsite wellness coaching sessions. There are about 4,000 wellness center members who take advantage of the diverse class and programming schedule, including personal training sessions.

Also last year, GHN held 2,204 fitness classes with more than 10,500 in attendance.Ìę

“We have built a sustainable program with measurable impact and this recognition is a testament of our good work and accomplishments to date,” Benson said. “The award helps position the University of Louisville as a great place to work. It says we value our employees and are willing to invest in their well-being.”

Past Growing Healthy Lives ONE Award winners include Baptist Health and Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services.

One Southern Indiana’s program recognizes finalists in seven business categories who were scored by an independent panel of judges based on criteria of business history, community involvement, response to adversity, new opportunities and innovation.

Additional category winners .ÌęOne Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development organization serving Clark and Floyd counties.

For example, six new classes have been added, including KORU Mindfulness and Meditation, gentle yoga and yoga and Pilates on the HSC campus. GHN is also now offering small group training, providing members an opportunity to receive instruction from a personal trainer and receive feedback on technique and form.

According to Patricia Benson, AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management, GHN relies heavily on feedback from the campus community to add in-demand programming.

“We seek to provide the classes people are most interested in, which drives higher level engagement and participation,” she said.

New Year’s resolutioners typically respond, generating a 10-to-15-percent bump in volume at GHN this time of year. To help those members stay engaged and remain proactive beyond January, GHN switches up its offerings often.

“Doing the same thing over and over can get really boring,” Benson said. “Mentally and physically, switching things up helps keep the body engaged and excited about the next challenge.”

The most popular classes at GHN are Zumba, mindfulness and meditation classes, boot camp, Nia and yoga/Pilates, and InCycle Express. These are not compromised when the schedule is switched up; in fact, iterations are added, such as STRONG by Zumba and Morning of Mindfulness.

Wellness Coaching Certification

In addition to new fitness classes, as of June 2016, the UofL Get Healthy Now Wellness Coaching program is qualified as an Approved Transition Program through the National Consortium for Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches. This means GHN is approved to certify Program Completion and Practical Skills of Health and Wellness Coaches.

“This designation is extremely important because starting this year, individuals cannot call themselves a Health and Wellness Coach unless they have been assessed by a NCCHWC Approved Transition Program,” Benson said. “Get Healthy Now is on the cutting edge in this area and in providing campus and community members this unique credentialing opportunity.”

Expanded partnership with UofL Physicians

GHN has also expanded its partnership with UofL Physicians to offer more health management programs and service locations to UofL medical plan participants.

Programs include diabetes, COPD, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. There are also programs currently under development, including asthma, congestive heart failure and obesity.

“Employees seeking support to better manage chronic health conditions and minimize out-of-pocket pharmacy costs will find this program to be helpful,” Benson said.

Locations include the GHN Wellness Center to service the Belknap Campus, and the Health Management Services, UofL Physicians Outpatient Center on the HSC Campus.

Outside of the gym

Finally, if working out at a gym isn’t your thing, and if you’re not seeking a coaching certification or health management service, GHN has introduced a few other motivational opportunities as part of its comprehensive programming.

• The Walk and Run Club, for example, launched Jan. 26 and is geared toward those who want to train for Louisville’s Triple Crown/Mini Marathon races, or those who simply want to integrate more steps into their day.
• Colorful Choices is a six-week virtual challenge created to make it easy for participants to put produce first and make healthy nutrition a daily habit. The class launches in mid-February.
• Take 20s are offered throughout all three campuses to encourage employees to take a 20-minute break during the day with GHN team members to engage in movement exercises and nutrition and stress management offerings.
• GHN has teamed up with the American Heart Association for the Healthy Hearts Roadshow, with visits to all three campuses to provide blood pressure screenings, as well as assessments to measure heart health and actionable steps to support cardiovascular wellness.

The Healthy Hearts Roadshow is an example of why Benson is especially optimistic about the year ahead.

“I am most appreciative and excited about the collaborative partnerships with campus and community partners, like the School of Medicine and AHA, who allow us to expand the geographical reach of our workplace wellness offerings,” she said. “Our arms are only so long, but when we wrap them together, united in effort, it is amazing how far we can reach.”

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