NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with its
mission to share best practices and evidence-based solutions to
improve health, The Vitality Institute, a global health think tank
focused on reducing chronic disease risk, will convene its
Commission at The New York Academy of Sciences on September 19. The Forum will examine the latest
technologies and innovations to reduce risk associated with chronic
disease as a result of poor diet, inactivity, tobacco use, poor
adherence to medications and stress.
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Led by newly appointed Commission Chair William B. Rosenzweig, managing partner at
Physic Ventures, LP, The Vitality Institute Commission comprises
prominent thinkers in health and business. Commissioners include
Susan Dentzer, Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation; Ginny Ehrlich, Clinton
Health Matters Initiative; Jeff
Levi, Trust for America's Health; Ellis Rubinstein, the New York Academy of
Sciences; Dennis Schmuland,
Microsoft; and Kevin Volpp, the
University of Pennsylvania.
"We're focused on the urgent goal of getting evidence-based
prevention at the center of health care policies and actions in the
U.S.," said Rosenzweig. "In making available better evidence,
influencing smarter laws and promoting higher levels of innovation,
we believe we can amplify the many voices advocating for health and
prevention in a way that will make a difference in improving U.S.
health."
The Vitality Institute was founded to advance knowledge,
evidence, and understanding about the evolving science and art of
health promotion and prevention in order to build healthier
societies. The Institute Commissioners have been tasked to
identify, test and define pathways to scale for a wide range of
innovative ideas, products, services, as well as business and
partnership models that will invigorate the imperative of health
prevention and promotion. Its ultimate goal is to galvanize action
to achieve a healthy public policy.
"There is strength in numbers," said Derek Yach, SVP, The Vitality Group and
Executive Director of the Vitality Institute. "By working with
corporations, associations, federal, state, and local government to
identify multi-stakeholder solutions we hope to address the issues
facing our nation's health in bold and transformative ways."
For more information on the Forum, please contact Gillian
Christie. For information about The Vitality Institute, visit
www.thevitalityinstitute.org. To join the conversation on Twitter,
follow The Vitality Institute @VitalityInst.
About Discovery
Discovery (JSE: DSY) is an authorized
financial services provider. Discovery operates in the health care
and life insurance markets in South
Africa, the United Kingdom
and China, as well as the
long-term savings and investment market, and short-term insurance
market in South Africa. Vitality,
Discovery's wellness program, is the world's largest scientific,
incentive-based wellness solution. It provides individual and
corporate wellness initiatives in South
Africa, the United Kingdom,
the United States and China. Discovery has demonstrated the ability
to improve health and reduce costs in South Africa for over 14 years. The global
Vitality membership base now exceeds five million lives. The
company's core purpose is to make people healthier, and to enhance
and protect their lives.
About Vitality
The Vitality Group is a member of
Discovery Ltd., offering the incentive-based wellness program to
employers as part of their benefits program. With a foundation
based on actuarial science and behavioral economic theory, Vitality
encourages changes in lifestyle that reduce health care costs, both
in the short run and long term, by rewarding members for addressing
their specific health issues. Vitality wellness programs serve
companies in a wide range of sizes and industries, improving
individuals' health and wellbeing as well as employers' bottom
lines.
Vitality is also offered through HumanaVitality, LLC, a joint
venture between Humana Inc. and Discovery Ltd. A solution for
midsized employers is also available through ADP Vitality.
SOURCE The Vitality Institute