NORTHWEST NOTES

Annual Meeting on Oct. 17

Group Health's annual membership meeting is Saturday, Oct.17, at the Husky Union Building (HUB) on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Meeting registration, a health fair, and candidate voting begin at 8 a.m. The meeting starts promptly at 10 a.m. and ends around noon.

This year's guest speaker is Elliott Fisher, MD, a nationally recognized health care policy researcher. The topic of his presentation is "Health care reform: Can we do more than rearrange the deck chairs?"

In addition, Group Health President and CEO Scott Armstrong will give a State of the Cooperative address and discuss challenges that Group Health and the health care industry are facing.

The election of Board of Trustees members — with five candidates vying for four positions — is already underway via mail ballots. All voting members are encouraged to mail in their ballot so it's received (not postmarked) by the Oct. 14 deadline. Members may also vote in person at the meeting.

BACK TO: Northwest Health index

Mail Order Pharmacy: Prepay, Please

Members must now pay with a bank card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) when ordering medication through the mail-order pharmacy. You are encouraged to store your bank card number in our secure online system to make the refill process even easier. Prepaying is expected to eliminate about 18,000 invoices a month — which cost about $20 apiece to generate.

Also, at most Group Health pharmacies you can now pick up your medication and pay for it with a bank card — all at the same window.

Save 25 Percent on AmazonFresh

Within a select service area, save when you try AmazonFresh online grocer. Plus get ongoing free delivery. Enter GroupHealth04 at checkout. Also, look for Group Health's suggestions for meal plans and Healthy Kids products.

Convenient Appointments for Mammograms

Making it easy for busy women to get this screening is a priority at Group Health. That's why we offer evening and weekend appointments, and can sometimes schedule same-day appointments. Go to Radiology, Imaging, and Breast Imaging and select the location closest to you.

Hello, Group Health Research Institute

There's a new name for an old friend. In September, the Group Health Center for Health Studies officially changed its name to Group Health Research Institute (GHRI).

Diabetes. Cancer. Depression. Tobacco addiction. Childhood injuries. These are just a few of the topics where Group Health scientists have broken ground as a nonproprietary, public-interest research leader. Bringing to life innovative ways to improve health care and help people stay healthy has been the Institute's focus for the last 25 years.

"GHRI's presence at Group Health allows it to conduct studies on large, stable populations in everyday clinical settings," says Eric B. Larson, MD, executive director of the Institute. The Institute receives 90 percent of its funding from government and private research grants, and research findings are shared through medical journals, scientific conferences, and the public media.

Holiday Shopping Made Easy

Find healthy gifts at our online Take Care Store or at our Capitol Hill Campus in Seattle, next to the South Building pharmacy. Free shipping to your Group Health pharmacy. All products are evaluated by Group Health medical experts for effectiveness and quality. Here's a sampling:

• Therapy balls, resistance bands, and pedometers
• Aromatherapy bath salts, and massagers
• Books, CDs, and DVDs on healthy cooking, relaxation, walking, stretching, and more

We're #1

Readers of the leading national consumer magazine (Sept. 2009) rated Group Health first among the nation's health maintenance organizations, topping a list that includes Harvard Pilgrim (Massachusetts) and HealthPartners (Minnesota).

Almost Ready to Quit Smoking?

Why not go for it on Nov. 19, the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout? It's a day set aside to inspire people to give up tobacco, so you'll be in great company.

Not quite the right time? Well, when it is, set a quit date and commit to that entire day. Research shows that people who don't smoke at all on their quit dates are 10 times more likely to be non-smokers 6 months later.

And you don't have to go it alone. The Free & Clear® Quit for Life® Program can help. Get tips on preparing to quit — and improving your chances of success.

"The best advice I got from Quit for Life was that if you slip, don't give up," says member Mike Wingfield of Richland. "That advice made me feel like I wasn't going to fail — and I haven't smoked since I started the program."

Quit for Life is available to eligible Group Health members.