Robby Bishop of Health Plus and Rosie Mosley of the Vanderbilt Information Management Department discuss the Know Your Numbers program, a biometrics measurement program that is a benefit for faculty and staff. Rosie shares her story of how attending a Know Your Numbers event helped her identify and take action on a serious health condition.
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Bridgette Butler: Welcome to this edition of the Vanderbilt Health and Wellness Wellcast. I'm Bridgette Butler with Health Plus. Today we are talking with Robby Bishop, Program Manager at Health Plus, and Rosie Mosley, Senior Information Management Associate at Vanderbilt's Development and Alumni Relations Department, about Health Plus' "Know Your Numbers" program. Welcome, Robby and Rosie. Robby, you are the coordinator of the "Know Your Numbers" program. What is "Know Your Numbers?"
Robby Bishop: "Know Your Numbers" is the Health Plus biometrics screening program that measures blood pressure, weight, and body mass index, or BMI.
Bridgette Butler: And why is "Know Your Numbers" offered as a benefit for faculty and staff?
Robby Bishop: "Know Your Numbers" is offered as a way to screen for, and educate about, individual risk factors that are associated with cardiovascular disease, like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Both weight and blood pressure have been shown to be reliable indicators of risk and they are quick and convenient to check. If we can help individuals identify risk, we can help them reduce that risk through lifestyle changes or consulting with their primary care providers.
Bridgette Butler: That's fantastic. So, these are important numbers to know as faculty and staff. Rosie, you attended a "Know Your Numbers" event earlier this year. Why did you attend "Know Your Numbers?"
Rosie Mosley: Well, it's just I am trying to keep track of my health right now and I wanted to know my numbers. I have gone to a few of these, and when Vanderbilt offers them, I try to go to them because they give you a lot of helpful information. It's just this time I didn't know that my numbers were going to change.
Bridgette Butler: Oh, I'm so glad that you attended. That's great. So, what did you learn exactly when you had your numbers checked?
Rosie Mosley: Well, I had learned that my blood pressure was really high and that I was in hypertension stage, and they advised me at Health Plus that I should do a followup with my doctor.
Bridgette Butler: And so, were you able to follow up with your doctor?
Rosie Mosley: Yes. I was able to call and make an appointment with my primary care physician. I told him about the results that Health Plus had found from the screening and he took my blood pressure a couple of times and agreed that it was high and he would put me on treatment for high blood pressure.
Bridgette Butler: That sounds like a positive outcome from the information that you received. You were able to begin treatment. Would you recommend "Know Your Numbers" to others?
Rosie Mosley: I would definitely recommend to others for screening of knowing your numbers. Like I said, I've gone to it a few times and this time here my numbers actually changed, and I was so tickled when they found this, and I was able to make a doctor's appointment and now I am taking blood pressure medicine because of this followup of "Knowing Your Numbers," and I feel really, really good now.
Bridgette Butler: That's fantastic. So, Robby, how many faculty and staff are screened annually by "Know Your Numbers?"
Robby Bishop: Annually, we screen about 8,000 faculty and staff, both on and off the Vanderbilt campus.
Bridgette Butler: T hat's a pretty high number. When and where is "Know Your Numbers" offered?
Robby Bishop: So, there are a variety of ways for employees to participate in "Know Your Numbers." You can check your numbers anytime at both the Health Plus and the Occupational Health Clinic during hours of operation. We also offer locations, both on and off campus, weekly that can be viewed on our "Know Your Numbers" calendar, and anyone can request one of these visits for their department or clinic. We also have two new options for those who cannot attend one of our locations. Faculty and staff can submit official measurements from their primary care provider securely through our website and you can also check your weight and blood pressure through Higi machines on campus and in the community by syncing an account with the Vanderbilt Health and Wellness Information Portal. Additional information on these options can be found through our "Know Your Numbers" page or you can call us at our Health Plus offices to find out more.
Bridgette Butler: What would you say, Robby, is the number one reason to attend "Know Your Numbers?"
Robby Bishop: "Know Your Numbers" is a quick and easy way to get an assessment of your health and keep track of your numbers. Visits only take a few minutes and you don't even have to have an appointment. "Know Your Numbers" also helps you earn in "Go for the Gold." The numbers are used when you fill out your Compass Health Assessment and the account has an action earned in your Wellness Actions Log.
Bridgette Butler: That's a win-win, getting that important health information, but then also getting a step ahead in "Go for the Gold!" This is a great resource. So glad that it's offered for faculty and staff as a benefit and Robby, thank you so much for giving us this great information on "Know Your Numbers" today, and Rosie, thank you so much for sharing your story with us!
Rosie Mosley: Thank you.
Bridgette Butler: Thanks for listening. If you have a story suggestion, please email it to us at health.wellness@vanderbilt.edu or you can use the "Contact Us" page on our website at www.vumc.org/health-wellness.
