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This month and next, as part of the University’s “HEALTHY YOU” wellness initiative for employees, Boston College will again offer a series of biometric screenings — which measure important health-related data like weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The free “Know Your Numbers” screenings will help employees and their spouses who are members of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to fill out a voluntary, confidential online health questionnaire (HQ), a vital step in assessing fitness and identifying potential health concerns. The HQ is accessible at www.harvardpilgrim.org/bostoncollege; users must log in to “HPHConnects” for their membership account, or create an account if they have not done so already.
This month’s screenings will take place March 7 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Flynn Recreation Complex and March 19 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons.
Using the biometric data from the HQ, employees can work with a Harvard Pilgrim professional health coach to identify health and fitness goals, and plan how to achieve them.
Harvard Pilgrim family plan subscribers and their spouses can each earn a $75 gift card for completing the HQ, and an additional $50 reward for making a plan with a health coach. HQs with required biometrics must be completed by May 31 to qualify for the incentives.
"To qualify for the incentive, there are six biometric numbers that must be entered in the HQ,” noted Associate Vice President for Human Resources Robert Lewis. “You may know these numbers if you have had a recent medical exam or you can obtain them at one of our on-campus screenings. Those taking the HQ are encouraged to read the HQ's FAQs found on the HPHC website before submitting their answers. This will greatly assist employees and spouses in successfully completing the HQ and earning the incentive."
After the first year of HEALTHY YOU saw more than 2,000 BC employees and spouses responded to the HQ — 300 of whom went on to take advantage of the free personal health coaching – BC administrators hope for even wider participation this year. Employees who went through the biometric screening and filled out the HQ prior to last Sept. 1 are encouraged to do so again: Biometric numbers can change during the course of several months, and having the most up-to-date numbers can help employees make more informed decisions.
Even employees who are in good health may find it useful to consult a health coach, administrators point out. “The coach can review and validate your current healthy lifestyle strategies, come up with ideas for new strategies, and talk about some potential issues you may not be aware of, so you can minimize potential future risks,” explained Lewis.
Information on HEALTHY YOU programs and events — including details on the biometric screenings and HQ — are available at www.bc.edu/healthy-you. The website also features video testimonials from BC employees who, through HEALTHY YOU, have taken the opportunity to improve their health and fitness. As one explains, “It’s not that I have an unhealthy lifestyle, but this is a way of me actually talking to someone and holding myself accountable.”