1999: associate's bicycle team encourages healthy cycling
DESCRIPTION
This was a news article that was distributed throughout Humana's communications programs about a cycling program that I ran when I was an employee.TRANSCRIPT
1
A l l A s s o c i a t e E d i t i o n W e e k o f O c t o b e r 2 5 , 1 9 9 9
theA w e e k l y p u b l i c a t i o n
l i n k i n g H u m a n a A s s o c i a t e s .P u b l i s h e d b y C o r p o r a t e C o m m u n i c a t i o n s .
Editor’s Note: The following is
the text of a Humana news
release.
Humana announced that its
prenatal program,
HumanaBeginnings, which
began in Louisville, Ky., in
June 1998, measurably
improves health outcomes in
newborn babies. According to
a recent study of Louisville-
area participants in the
program, HumanaBeginnings
is reducing the number of
newborn babies
admitted to hospi-
tals’ neonatal
intensive care units
(NICUs).
“HumanaBeginnings
is delivering the
results that we
hoped it would for
our most vulnerable
members when we established
the program more than a
year ago,” said Mitzi
Krockover, M.D., vice
president of women’s health
and preventive services
for Humana. “This
program helps babies get
a healthy start when
they come into the
world. By closely
working with expectant
mothers while they are
pregnant, we are increasing
the likelihood that high-risk
births do not result in NICU
admissions.”
The study, conducted by
Humana comparing the
fourth quarter of 1998 to the
fourth quarter of 1997,
showed that babies whose
mothers were enrolled in
HumanaBeginnings in Louis-
ville had 56 percent fewer
NICU admissions when
compared to the admission
rates of infants of nonpartici-
pating Louisville mothers.
Of the HumanaBeginnings
newborns, who were admit-
ted to the NICU, the length
of stay averaged five days less
when com-
pared to non-
participants
the study
showed,
indicating
their associ-
ated burden of
illness was
significantly
less.
HumanaBeginnings has
three components: education,
health risk
assessment and
case management.
When a member
or her physician
notifies Humana
of her pregnancy,
a registered nurse
contacts the
member by phone
to enroll her in the program.
At the same time, the nurse
conducts an assessment of any
health risks. If no special
concerns are identified, the
member is contacted again
during her 30th week of
pregnancy and
then soon after
the birth of
her baby.
If any risk
factors are
identified or
complications
arise with the
pregnancy, the
member is referred to a
HumanaBeginnings case
manager. The case manager
is a registered nurse specially
trained in the care of preg-
nant women. He or she
works with the member and
her physician to provide
education and support, to
facilitate services and to refer
the member to community
resources.
“The case managers are, in
essence, an enhancement to
the physician’s care. They
reinforce the physician’s
recommended treatment
which is especially essential
for those women who are
at risk for complications
during pregnancy,” Dr.
Krockover said.
Karla Brock, a Humana
HumanaBeginnings data shows prenatal programmeasurably improves health outcomes in newborn babies
Admission rate and length of stay are reduced
Dr. Mitzi Krockover
A study conducted by Humana showedthat babies whose mothers were enrolledin HumanaBeginnings in Louisvillehad 56 percent fewer neonatal intensivecare admissions.
Continued on page 2
2
A weekly publication linkingHumana Associates. Published byCorporate Communications.
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Kathy CampbellDirector, Associate Communications
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member and mother of three,
knows the benefits of
HumanaBeginnings first hand.
“When I had my first two
babies, I wasn’t in the
program. I was in the
program with my third baby
and I carried him longer
than the other two babies,”
said Brock, who was on bed
rest for 19 weeks of her third
pregnancy.
Brock’s first two babies
were delivered at 32 and 33
weeks respectively. She
carried her third baby for 35
½ weeks. She also acknowl-
edged the comfort of having a
perinatal case manager follow
her throughout her third
pregnancy when she partici-
pated in HumanaBeginnings.
“I felt like I could call her
about anything. She would
always call to check on me,”
Brock said.
Perinatologist Marcello
Pietrantoni, M.D., whose
medical practice includes
women with complicated
pregnancies, also recognizes
the benefits of
HumanaBeginnings. “It has
been an excellent program
and a real positive for my
patients,” Dr. Pietrantoni said.
Since its inception, more
than 12,000 pregnant
Humana members enrolled in
HumanaBeginnings have
benefited from the prenatal
program. Participants have
given the program a 97
percent satisfaction rating. All
participants receive educa-
tional material and the
guidebook, What to Expect
When You’re Expecting.
“The initial evaluation can
tell us a lot about the
member’s habits. If, for
example, a mother indicates
that she is a smoker, she
would be a candidate for our
smoking cessation program,”
Dr. Krockover said. Women
who smoke while they are
pregnant are enrolled in an
intensive program with a
personal smoking cessation
specialist who works with
them telephonically over the
course of 12 months, before
and after birth.
In a related development,
HumanaBeginnings recently
piloted a postpartum depres-
sion screening and treatment
program, coordinated in
cooperation with CMG/
Magellan Behavioral Health.
Humana also provides
information to parents about
infant and childhood immu-
nizations through a one-year
birthday card to
HumanaBeginnings “gradu-
ates” and a reminder at 18
months.
HumanaBeginnings improves health outcomes for newbornsContinued from page 1
An associate in Chicago has
spread his belief in the
importance of physical fitness
in a unique way — by
starting his own bicycle-
racing team. Leonardo
Campos-Moya co-founded
and manages Pedro’s - El
Gato Negro Bicycle Racing
Team (EGN) out of Chicago.
EGN’s mission objectives
include promoting cycling as
a healthy form of transporta-
tion, as well as creating
cycling opportunities for
minorities and women.
During the 1999 season, the
team roster
included
Humana
associates
Dr. Polly
Reese and
Adrienne
Hyde, both
of Chicago.
Team
sponsors
during the
2000 racing
season include Pedro’s,
Upgrade Cycleworks of
Chicago,
Latino Sports
Ventures, Inc.
and for the
second time,
Humana
Dental.
“I am glad
to see that
Humana has
agreed to
continue its
sponsorship, as
it is a clear demonstration
of its commitment to
physical fitness among its
associates,” said Campos-
Moya. “We are very
grateful for the support of
all our sponsors, without
whom our cycling program
could not exist.”
EGN even has their own
Web site. To check it out, or
for more information,
visit their site at: http://
members.aol.com/
Lgatonegro/prof/index.htm.Leonardo Campos-Moya
Associate’s bicycle team encourages healthy cycling