University Times

The Office of Human Resources’ Benefits department will be honored next month for the new employee wellness center it developed on the Pittsburgh campus.

The department will be awarded the Fred C. Ford Award by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR).

The award recognizes an individual or team that has made the most significant creative or innovative contribution to the profession in the previous year. Pitt’s Benefits department was selected for its launch of the UPMC MyHealth@Work Health and Wellness Center. Facilitated by UPMC health care providers, the center addresses acute conditions at no cost to the employee, regardless of insurance coverage. Located in the Medical Arts Building, the center is open weekdays with no appointment necessary.

Since its April 2016 opening, more than 1,300 employees have visited the center, and initial qualitative data shows positive results, with 97 percent of them rating the care provided as “excellent.”

Assistant Vice Chancellor John Kozar said: “I’m extremely proud of the efforts of our benefits team both in implementing and marketing the center. UPMC also did a great job in the center’s design and construction. In a world of continuing escalation of health care costs, the ability to provide a lower-cost alternative that is both convenient and free to faculty and staff is a win-win situation for the University community.”

Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Cheryl Johnson added, “The center is another of the innovative programs we strive to implement for the University community. The Benefits department is cultivating a wellness culture, which will provide an additional incentive for all of us to become more involved in making healthy choices.”