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The PHD Network FAQ

FAQ

Q: Provide an Overview of Your Health Promotion and Disease Management Offerings and Capabilities

A: ActivHealth was formed in partnership with Duke University Medical Center, a world-renown leader in health promotion and wellness to get needed and trusted information to individuals in a format that is easy to understand and permits Sponsors to track participation and compliance within their prescribed program(s).

Our cornerstone product, "The PHD Network," is a comprehensive Health Management System that delivers personalized health and wellness programs in an interactive format via the Internet. We eliminate the time it takes to find relevant health information and since Duke writes all the programs, each user gets only the best, trustworthy, screened content -- in just minutes!

Utilizing proprietary software, ActivHealth has the ability to provide individuals with "personal wellness programs" designed around each member's particular health characteristics. A unique tracking feature permits us to monitor progress and provide participation reports for sponsors to demonstrate utilization and compliance.

These programs help individuals achieve personal health goals while helping organizations reduce healthcare costs, improve morale and build brand loyalty. It’s a perfect fit when integrated with existing Workplace Wellness, Disease Management, Patient Education and Consumer Health programs.

Education and training programs are delivered through a proprietary software program that allows each user to interact with the program by responding to questions or materials in a "programmed learning" format. For those enrolled in incentive programs, the sponsor code will also allow for the assignment of incentive points toward awards provided by their host/sponsoring organization.

As a Disease Management tool, we also include the ability to “predict” onset of various Disease States such as Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke. This information is invaluable in identifying “at risk” individuals and groups and assists in development of targeted intervention programs. ActivHealth has relationships to fulfill intervention services and health claims analysis technology should these services be required.

Knowing that you can’t manage what you don’t know, we offer a comprehensive program for disease-specific assessment, identification and stratification. Finding the right individual, at the right time, for the right level of education and intervention is what we do best. Early identification ant targeted intervention is a critical component in controlling the high cost of healthcare. Our focus on prevention, education, and intervention is a sound approach toward achieving happier, healthier populations for groups of all sizes.

In short, ActivHealth and The PHD Network overcome some of the significant problems of existing wellness programs by integrating state-of-the-art assessment tools, followed by individually targeted educational programs designed to modify unhealthy lifestyle behaviors – all without the need to attend costly seminars or classes. The PHD Network also provides a consistent and comprehensive database of health and demographic factors essential for long-term information and claims analysis.

The end result is a more productive workforce and a healthier bottom line.

Q: What is the validity and reliability of the PHA (Personal Health Assessment) instrument?

A: ActivHealth reviewed over 40 documents in the establishment of their original Health Risk Appraisal. Later it was tested and further analyzed against another widely accepted HRA from within the industry. This independent study produced statistically similar results. The current online version builds on the original HRA, but has been reworked to focus on modifiable issues within individual lifestyles and related risk factors rather than serving as a predictor for certain disease risks. The responses to the PHA trigger lesson assignment via a series of algorithms and a Personal Wellness Program is established for each individual (“user”).

An optional component of the program incorporates blood values to an improved Framingham (+) risk assessment for Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke.

Note: Our PHD Network program works whether blood values are entered or not, allowing you to reach the people that may not participate in the PHA if you require a blood sample.

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Q: Can the PHA data be tracked? Does it have trending ability?

A: All results from the PHA are stored within a secure electronic database. Completing the PHA in subsequent intervals will show progress and trends for each user. In addition, the program allows you to access a variety of Web-enabled reporting features at the sponsor level, permitting updates and usage data on an “as needed” basis throughout the year.

Q: What is the source of norms/comparative data?

A: The program components are based on widely accepted norms established by the ADA, ACSM, US Prevention Task Force, CDC, and more. ActivHealth reviewed over 40 published documents in the establishment of the PHA alone! The program materials are all based on widely accepted professional standards and edited by Duke staff.

Q: What type of blood work goes into the database and how is it captured?

A: These values are all optional. The PHA will accurately assess risks/assign educational modules upon completion of all required fields. The most advanced risk stratification occurs when using the Disease Risk Profile program for prediction of onset of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, which require a minimum set of lab values including: Back to Top

Q: Can the PHA be automated or scanned to reduce data entry costs?

A: The PHA is available online. Not only does this approach reduce data entry costs, this format prompts lesson assignment in “real time” and users get to view their individual chart, health markers, and modifiable behavior issues right away! This helps to establish the “readiness to change” mindset necessary to alter lifestyle issues linked to increased health care costs.

Q: What security features are there, and can the application work with an Intranet?

A: Every individual will establish a unique username and password that they select for confidentiality purposes. Employees should be informed that all information is kept confidential by ActivHealth and that the sponsor does not have access to any personally identifying information. The administrator of your program may have access to aggregate information, but not specific to any individual user. For example, the program administrator will have information on how many programs an individual has completed, but will not have an indication of what programs were accessed or why (assigned to them or just curious about a topic). Composite scores, completion of programs and usage are some measurements the basic reports allow in a confidential manner. To query and maintain the program at this level, you may consider a hosting (sponsor) agreement.

Q: Can the program interface the data with healthcare claims?

A: Yes. The database can be tied to healthcare claims if established up-front. This obviously is an important feature that takes initial set-up and collaboration between your healthcare provider and claims analysis tools. In addition to comparing healthcare claims to risks, we can also develop reports to compare the impact the education programs have on healthcare claims within your population. Claims analysis service includes a per person rate with a minimum. (Estimate: $1.50 - $2.50 per person and a minimum of 10,000 people – all of which do not have to be PHD Network users).

Q: How much training is required to use of the program? How much time and how much will it cost?

A: A designated program coordinator will complete an initial orientation and training period to learn about the program. The program coordinator can then spearhead introduction of the program directly to employees. We will provide additional support as necessary to help promote use of the service. There are no formal training costs, however, reimbursement of travel costs for onsite training may be applicable.

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Q: Status of Tailored Messaging and Behavior Change Programs?

A: The PHD Network features educational content developed at Duke’s Center for Living and marketed to institutional sponsors to enhance their existing program offerings and directly to individual consumers via the Company’s web site at www.ActivHealth.com and other authorized Sponsors.

The PHD Network contains a library of health and wellness topics and is password protected with access limited to paid subscribers (members) of The PHD Network. The Company completed its initial Library of Lessons in June 2000 and its Health Assessment, also developed by doctors at Duke, in October 2000. Automated lesson delivery began in February 2001 and ActivHealth began generating revenue through paid subscription fees with its PHD Network Health Management System in May 2001. All content for The PHD Network is developed by professionals at the Duke Center for Living.

The personal health assessment identifies “individual risk factors” and “readiness to change” states as part of an initial collection of key data from each user. From there a targeted lesson plan is presented based on both the risk factors and the initial desire to modify behavior. For example, someone interested in losing weight or lowering cholesterol will receive more lessons in these areas right away than someone not as ready. This permits us to ease each participant into his/her program at a pace they are comfortable with and does not overwhelm someone who is not quite ready to dig in at an aggressive rate.

Progress is tracked by the system and both individual users and Sponsor Administrators can access progress reports for individual users and groups. This permits us to tally utilization and compliance via an incentive point system and work with Sponsors who offer rewards for completion of various modules or thresholds – another key to effective behavior change.

For groups that have a need to present certain information or topics to a specific audience, we also have a feature that permits the assignment of “default lessons” that each member of that group will automatically receive. This assures delivery of targeted messages such as Stress, or Nutrition to everyone even if their health assessment does not “trigger” assignment of the default lessons during enrollment.

Q: Describe the Tailored Messaging Modules that are “Ready for Use” now

A: The PHD Network library contains a wide variety of topics – virtually every area of health promotion and wellness is covered by lessons in our breadth of current lessons.

The library now contains over one hundred (100) titles in various stages of development. Fifty (50) PHD Network programs are posted to the Live Web Site Library and another 50+ are in various stages of development at Duke. We plan to continually add to the PHD Library of Lessons each year, with an anticipated capacity of several hundred titles. Duke also reviews lesson topics periodically to assure information remains up-to-date and accurate.

A list of Current and Future Lessons is available upon request

Note also that our Doctors at Duke can work with you to develop new lessons around specific topics designed to meet the needs of your audience.

Q: How do you engage participants following the assessment

A: Each person receives a “Health Issues Your Can Change” Chart and Specific Reports about individual Risks for various chronic disease states such as Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke as a lead in to the “Personal Wellness Program” presented to each participant.

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Q: Does each group/individual receive feedback about particular health issues?

A: Yes, each person receives specific information about “Current Health Concerns, Lifestyle Issues, and Disease Risk Profiles, along with a Personal Wellness Program designed around his/her individual health risks and concerns. Each group can access Risk Stratification Reports to identify: 1) areas of concern by theme (disease condition, etc.) within the group as a whole and/or, 2) individuals “at risk” for certain conditions and steps to take to improve/lower the related risks.

Q: How is the program communicated to the group/participants?

A: Information is delivered to employees of each Group in the form of service announcements, news articles in newsletters, Web site links, direct selling efforts by our ActivHealth Service Team and other sales, marketing, and publicity efforts as mutually agreed between ActivHealth and members of our Corporate Health Alliance.

Q: How often is content edited to reflect advances in medical science?

A: All lessons/topics in The PHD Network are developed and reviewed by experts at Duke University Medical Center. Once written and posted to The PHD Network “Library of Lessons,” each topic undergoes a scheduled review based on its content and the likelihood of information changing over time. Lessons are scheduled for review each 6 to 18 months to assure they maintain relevance and accuracy.

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Q: How is participant success and enrollment monitored and managed?

A: A number of reports and assessment tools are provided for each sponsor. Please refer to the prior responses for more detail.

Q: Are Participant’s Spouses included?

A: Yes, participation is available to Spouses of Group employees. In fact, we encourage use by spouses, as typical wellness programs only reach employees, and most Health Care Plans cover spouses, who also have an impact on long term Health Claims Costs.

Q: What is the basis for providing the medical/wellness information, i.e., how accurate is the information, who authenticates the program content?

A: All content in The PHD Network is written and developed by professionals at Duke University Medical Center – a world renowned leader in the area of health promotion and wellness. All lessons in The PHD Network are subject to periodic “scheduled review” by experts at Duke. This process assures each lesson/topic remains up to date with respect to sound medical information, practices, and standards.

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Q: What support materials are provided to Group Administrators to promote the program to individual participants?

A: A number of materials will be made available to individual Group Administrators to support program awareness and participation among Group employees. Samples of support materials provided as part of the program and services are included in this proposal. Additional items are available upon request.

Q: Provide a summary of “Value Added” benefits provided by The PHD Network: Q: Why Collaborative initiatives work best.
  1. Personal Benchmarking - Each individual establishes a baseline via a PHA or lab blood work as an initial indication of their current health. The PHD Network program then provides the education necessary to develop the “readiness to change” mindset necessary once a health issue has been identified. Users are directed to their physician or healthcare professional to resolve any concerns that may develop during the educational process.
  2. Education - These activities are ways to market the PHA, getting more people to participate in the comprehensive program.
  3. Reinforce other initiatives - The program can also market special events/programs you have in a cost-efficient manner. For example, an Email can be sent to everyone who is enrolled in the program to promote other programs such as weight loss, aerobics classes, etc.
  4. Lower data collection costs – Having access to an online PHA eliminates paper shuffling and storage. Lab values can be added to an individual’s profile at any time by completing a New PHA and the program responds immediately with new lessons based on the new information.
Suggestion: Keep the strong points of your current health promotion and wellness programs intact, and use The PHD Network to maximize the effectiveness of your staff by reaching those in need in multiple ways. This approach is cost effective, has the ability to reach greater numbers, and frees up valuable staff time to focus on "high need" priorities.

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