Reimagining Health

Woodward designs innovative plan to boost employee health

AFM is excited to be partnering with companies in our community on a health vision that includes easy access, expanded coordination, and enhanced patient involvement.

Press release: July 13, 2016

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – One of northern Colorado’s largest publicly held companies is putting its knack for innovation to work by designing a new way to foster a healthier workforce.

Woodward—the global designer, manufacturer and service provider of control system solutions and components for the aerospace and industrial markets—is teaming up with UCHealth and Associates in Family Medicine to help employees and their families lead healthier lives. Through the new plan, quick, convenient access to health care and a range of other resources help both workers and dependents proactively manage their health.

The new Woodward Health Center plan combines personalized direct primary care and disease management services. Through the plan, which begins Jan. 1, 2017, the company will offer health care services from top-quality providers at 10 locations in Fort Collins, Windsor and Loveland, with extended hours and same- or next-day appointment availability. In addition, UCHealth experts also will provide occupational health services at the four Woodward sites in northern Colorado.

“We are excited to partner with UCHealth and Associates in Family Medicine in our continuing effort to provide top-tier health benefits to Woodward members,” said Steve Meyer, corporate vice president of human resources for Woodward.

Following a concierge- medicine model, the clinics will offer extended physicals, a dedicated scheduling line and acute care for employees and dependents. Plan members also will have access to a health care coordinator, who will coordinate appointments, referrals, authorizations and any necessary follow- up. A complementary lifestyle health services component of the plan provides those who have or are at risk for chronic illness with the one-on-one support and tools they need to take control of their health, manage their conditions and improve their nutrition, fitness and overall health.

“Through this partnership, we will be able to work closely with Woodward employees and their families to have a lasting and meaningful impact on their health,” said Dr. James Sprowell, CEO of Associates in Family Medicine. “Convenient access and personalized service are just the beginning. The expanded care coordination, health coaching and greater patient involvement aspects of this plan will have a dramatic impact on clinical outcomes as well.”

Woodward’s new plan shows that the company is committed to getting employees healthy and keeping them healthy, said Jean Haynes, UCHealth chief population health officer.

“This will be a model for other employers that are looking for more effective and efficient ways to foster a healthy workforce. In the long run, not only will this innovative approach improve health, it also will increase employee satisfaction while controlling health care costs,” Haynes said. “Population health management and improving the wellness of the communities we serve is a key focus for UCHealth.”

Woodward employs nearly 1,300 people in northern Colorado. The company also is offering the Woodward Health Center plan for its employees in Rockford, Ill., in conjunction with a similar partnership with SwedishAmerican, a division of UW Health.

About Woodward

Woodward is an independent designer, manufacturer and service provider of control system solutions and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. The company’s innovative fluid, combustion, electrical and motion control systems help customers offer cleaner, more reliable and more efficient equipment. Its customers include leading original equipment manufacturers and end users of their products. Woodward is a global company headquartered in Fort Collins, Colo.

About Associates in Family Medicine

Founded in 1962 by Dr. Donald Wells, Associates in Family Medicine is built on the commitment to deliver a convenient, wholehearted approach to health care. With eight full-service offices and more than 50 medical providers throughout northern Colorado, Associates in Family Medicine serves every patient with quality care and compassion, building honest, lasting patient relationships. The organization practices patient-centered care and strives to provide every patient a medical home — a model that emphasizes improving and maintaining healthy lifestyles through evidence-based care.

About UCHealth

UCHealth is a Front Range health system that delivers the highest quality patient care with the highest quality patient experience. UCHealth combines Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Colorado Health Medical Group, University of Colorado Hospital and Memorial Hospital into an organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Separately, these institutions can continue providing superior care to patients and service to the communities they serve. Together, they push the boundaries of medicine, attracting more research funding, hosting more clinical trials and improving health through innovation.

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