Wellness Center Opens Today

[Hoop Raeb]

Grand Opening of State-of-the-Art, On-Site Health and Wellness Center Provides Additional Resources to Help Walt Disney World Cast Members Lead Healthier Lives
Center for Living Well is "one-stop shop" for primary medical care for as many as 40,000 benefits-eligible Cast Members and their families

Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Oct. 15, 2008 – Hundreds of Walt Disney World Cast Members completed a wellness walk around Epcot® just in time to help officially open the Center for Living Well, a state-of-the-art, on-site health and wellness center that will provide eligible Cast Members and their families with a "one-stop shop" for primary medical care and related services, including a pharmacy, lab, basic radiology, and wellness and behavioral health resources.
"The opening of the Center for Living Well is a significant milestone in our journey to help Cast Members and their families lead healthier lives," said Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton. "This special place will inspire Cast Members to take a proactive approach to their health and provide resources that will make it easier than ever before for them to take advantage of the many health and wellness resources Disney offers."
Walt Disney World® Resort selected Take Care Health Systems (formerly CHD Meridian Healthcare) to operate and provide medical and pharmacy services at the $6 million, 15,000-square-foot facility. As the operator of the Center for Living Well, Take Care Health has committed to providing Cast Members and their dependents who participate in the company’s health plans with:

• high-quality, personalized care facilitated by a multi-lingual staff of credentialed medical professionals;
• enhanced access to services through extended hours, weekend availability, proximity to work and same-day care for more immediate needs;
• coordinated treatment made possible by relationships with specialists and other facilities throughout the region, referral scheduling support and the latest in medical technology, including electronic medical records and prescriptions and digital radiology; and
• privacy and confidentiality, through strict adherence to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and special facility design features, such as a sophisticated white noise system that enables private conversations, the use of pagers to facilitate efficient and discreet communication between patients and staff, and a unique exam room design that prevents others from seeing who is inside the room when the door is open.

"The Center for Living Well represents the best thinking in putting Cast Members first and we're thrilled to be a part of it," said Peter M. Hotz, president, Employer Solutions, Take Care Health Systems. "Forward-thinking companies like Walt Disney World are demonstrating that the strongest investment they can make is in the health and well-being of their people. This facility combines the best in medical care, pharmacy services and technology to create a healthcare experience unlike any other."
Walt Disney World Resort continues to offer a variety of other programs and services designed to promote healthy living among Cast Members including:

• a choice of health care plans that enable eligible Cast and their dependents to select the plan that best meets their needs;
• preventive care benefits that are generally available at no additional cost to plan participants and their covered dependents;
• on-site health and wellness offerings, such as educational and screening opportunities, health fairs and discounts on weight loss programs and gym memberships;
• access to online tools and resources, such as a personal health assessment and a prescription drug price comparison tool; and
• programs to support health plan members with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.

"Across our organization, Cast Members at all levels have been taking 'one simple step' toward a healthier lifestyle using the resources provided by our company," said Al Weiss, president of worldwide operations for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "There is a lot of momentum around our wellness journey, and we will continue to engage our Cast Members in new and innovative health and wellness opportunities."
Cast Members will continue to be able to access other Central Florida health care providers as defined by the health plan they select. Currently, more than 40,000 Walt Disney World Cast Members, plus their dependents, are eligible for health benefits.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

Not trying to shoot it out of the sky, but as they say if it sounds too good to be true, it just might be. It does sound like a very easy way to get health care, but the questions that I have are, what does the CM have to pay to be a part of this program, and what kind of co-pay is required of them. Granted, I wouldn't mind having something like this so close to where I work and live, with everything under one roof as it were.

 

[hemloc]

I dunno, but this sounds like one of those Soylent Green is people moments:shrug:...

 

[disneygirl76]

Grand Opening of State-of-the-Art, On-Site Health and Wellness Center Provides Additional Resources to Help Walt Disney World Cast Members Lead Healthier Lives
Center for Living Well is "one-stop shop" for primary medical care for as many as 40,000 benefits-eligible Cast Members and their families

Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Oct. 15, 2008 – Hundreds of Walt Disney World Cast Members completed a wellness walk around Epcot® just in time to help officially open the Center for Living Well, a state-of-the-art, on-site health and wellness center that will provide eligible Cast Members and their families with a "one-stop shop" for primary medical care and related services, including a pharmacy, lab, basic radiology, and wellness and behavioral health resources.
"The opening of the Center for Living Well is a significant milestone in our journey to help Cast Members and their families lead healthier lives," said Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton. "This special place will inspire Cast Members to take a proactive approach to their health and provide resources that will make it easier than ever before for them to take advantage of the many health and wellness resources Disney offers."
Walt Disney World® Resort selected Take Care Health Systems (formerly CHD Meridian Healthcare) to operate and provide medical and pharmacy services at the $6 million, 15,000-square-foot facility. As the operator of the Center for Living Well, Take Care Health has committed to providing Cast Members and their dependents who participate in the company’s health plans with:

• high-quality, personalized care facilitated by a multi-lingual staff of credentialed medical professionals;
• enhanced access to services through extended hours, weekend availability, proximity to work and same-day care for more immediate needs;
• coordinated treatment made possible by relationships with specialists and other facilities throughout the region, referral scheduling support and the latest in medical technology, including electronic medical records and prescriptions and digital radiology; and
• privacy and confidentiality, through strict adherence to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and special facility design features, such as a sophisticated white noise system that enables private conversations, the use of pagers to facilitate efficient and discreet communication between patients and staff, and a unique exam room design that prevents others from seeing who is inside the room when the door is open.

"The Center for Living Well represents the best thinking in putting Cast Members first and we're thrilled to be a part of it," said Peter M. Hotz, president, Employer Solutions, Take Care Health Systems. "Forward-thinking companies like Walt Disney World are demonstrating that the strongest investment they can make is in the health and well-being of their people. This facility combines the best in medical care, pharmacy services and technology to create a healthcare experience unlike any other."
Walt Disney World Resort continues to offer a variety of other programs and services designed to promote healthy living among Cast Members including:

• a choice of health care plans that enable eligible Cast and their dependents to select the plan that best meets their needs;
• preventive care benefits that are generally available at no additional cost to plan participants and their covered dependents;
• on-site health and wellness offerings, such as educational and screening opportunities, health fairs and discounts on weight loss programs and gym memberships;
• access to online tools and resources, such as a personal health assessment and a prescription drug price comparison tool; and
• programs to support health plan members with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.

"Across our organization, Cast Members at all levels have been taking 'one simple step' toward a healthier lifestyle using the resources provided by our company," said Al Weiss, president of worldwide operations for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "There is a lot of momentum around our wellness journey, and we will continue to engage our Cast Members in new and innovative health and wellness opportunities."
Cast Members will continue to be able to access other Central Florida health care providers as defined by the health plan they select. Currently, more than 40,000 Walt Disney World Cast Members, plus their dependents, are eligible for health benefits.

Just another reason why I am trying so hard to become a CM!!!! Thanks for the info!!:wave:

 

[TP2000]

This sounds too good to be true. Private companies in the 21st century don't just open up fancy health centers will all of these amenities and luxuries for 9 dollar an hour custodians and churro salesmen. There are socialist countries in Europe and Latin America that don't have this nice of health care at employees disposal!

There has to be a catch.

 

[sum41914]

I wonder how this differs from the Health Services building we already have behind EPCOT. We can go there if we are hurt on the clock and need a note for light duty, for a sight/hearing test and other formalities that would bring one to a building of this nature.

 

[CMTinkerbell99]

I don't think there is a catch. It also might save Disney money with their insurance costs if they offer their own clinics and doctors. It's for any full time Cast Member and their family that participate in the Disney health care insurance. I believe it is under the Cigna and another HMO offering. The clinc was opened based on feed back from Cast Members; CM's were tired of taking an an entire day off of work to take care of simple health care appointments. With it being on property CM's can now just take a few hours off or half a day. At least that is how it was explained to me. If I lived closer and worked full time I would be taking advantage of it.

 

[sknydave]

Of course it's going to save them money.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

y'all are cynics!

With the tens of thousands of employees that Disney has, this makes PERFECT sense! Kudos to Disney for great forward-thinking, something Disney is already famous for.

Hopefully more companies will fall in line behind Disney.

I *AM* curious for any CMs out there - what DO medical benefits run you per week? I'm planning on working for The Mouse again in a couple years and need to start budgeting!

 

[durangojim]

I wonder what they pay their docs, and do they get employee discounts to the parks?

 

[WDWCPF98]

Just out of curiosity, where on property is the new Wellness Center?

 

[GatorGambit]

It sounds good, but here's my thinking: I would be more concerned with the quality of care than I would the avialbility of it.

 

[RalphWiggum]

"This special place will inspire Cast Members to take a proactive approach to their health

I'm all for that -- I think there is a large segment of our population that is totally reactive when it comes to their health -- they don't do anything until there is a major problem and then rely on pills to fix it for them. If each of us was more proactive, problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease would lessen to much more manageable levels.

Now hand me the remote and a big piece of that chocolate cake :lol:

 

[NASAMan]

Just out of curiosity, where on property is the new Wellness Center?

It is adjacent to the Epcot CM parking lot.

It is in the dark area in this Google Maps image:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=28.371502,-81.542459&spn=0.005003,0.009323&t=h&z=17

 

[disneydiva72]

Because I have worked in health care, I always say....the facility may be wonderful, the co-pays may be low, but how good are the Doctors. The facility can be state of the art but if the DR's are low paid newbies that's where the fault line is.

y'all are cynics!

No, not necessarily.

Does this wellness center now mean they can no longer visit any DR or specialists THEY choose? Or is that now out of benefits? There are many questions that need to be asked of this center because it is now under the Disney Corps thumb. Now Disney is taking charge of their health rights so CM's need to ask many many questions about this.

 

[totben]

Because I have worked in health care, I always say....the facility may be wonderful, the co-pays may be low, but how good are the Doctors. The facility can be state of the art but if the DR's are low paid newbies that's where the fault line is.



No, not necessarily.

Does this wellness center now mean they can no longer visit any DR or specialists THEY choose? Or is that now out of benefits? There are many questions that need to be asked of this center because it is now under the Disney Corps thumb. Now Disney is taking charge of their health rights so CM's need to ask many many questions about this.

The Good Thing is Disney's Insurance is run through Cigna so any doctor's office that accepts Cigna is fine. Don't know about the new center but i've always been a fan of Celebration Health. The new center is closer but if it's anything like Health Services was im gonna stick with Celebration.

 

[sknydave]

It's mostly going to be used by college program kids going in for VD checks, anyhow

 

[Polyman]

Geeez.....what's the big deal? Disney is treating this like the grand opening of a major E-ticket attraction, offering "Open Mouse" tours of the place. Just park in the Wonder Lot and be bussed over to the facility. You could walk faster....from Wonder, down Woodpecker Lane, across the street to the Center. Who wants to waste time touring a health facility? The less I see of any kind of health center, hospital, doctor's office, the better.

 

[MythBuster]

Basically, it is just a more convient medical center, especially for CM's who don't have cars or other transportation. If they live in Disney housing, they just have to take the Epcot CM bus and then walk out to the parking lot. And they can get their prescriptions filled at the same place also.

It is just another choice, nothing changes with medical insurance or anything.

Health Services is for Workman's Comp cases and people returning to work who were out on medical, it is not a first aid. So now, everyone will be sent to the Wellness center for all problems except for Workman's Comp injuries.