One of Eliza’s main tenets is that even small actions can make a big difference.

That’s true when it comes to our health, to our relationships, and even to saving crustaceans from ending up on a platter with a side of drawn butter.

Read on for the story of Henry the Lobster, as told by the Eliza employees who participated in his rescue.

This is Henry. He is probably over 100 years old.

Chapter One: There Once was a Lobster Named Henry (by Dawn)

My husband is pretty well known around here for his ability to eat and eat and not only not get sick, but not put on any weight. Every few months he visits with me at the Eliza offices and spends three or four days eating.

And we aren’t talking about your typical breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. We are talking about authentic bagels in Newton for breakfast, Kelly’s Roast Beef for a mid morning snack, Regina’s pizza in Boston for lunch, Mike’s Pastry for dessert, Dobe’s for fried clams for a mid afternoon snack, twin lobsters and steamers for dinner, and Friendly’s ice cream for dessert.

Last week he found a place that was having a special on twin lobsters and steamers. As he was ordering his food, he called me over to look at this HUGE lobster in the waiting tank.

He was almost fifteen pounds and had a “look” about him. The guy behind the counter thought “Henry” was probably over 100 years old. Even my husband, who should have a job in competitive eating, couldn’t bring himself to order him for dinner. I kept walking past the tank, looking at Henry and thinking there ought to be a law against selling guys this big, this old, and this wise.

The next day we were at the office talking about my husband’s latest food fest and I mentioned the lobster in the tank. Alex immediately jumped up and said “We have to buy him and free him back into the ocean – he doesn’t belong in that tank.”

Chapter Two: I Love it When a Plan Comes Together (by Elaine)

Every day is different at Eliza. However, I had no idea when I woke up this morning that wildlife animal rescue would be a part of my day.

After hearing Dawn’s story about Henry, I called the restaurant to find out if the 15-pound lobster we had just heard about was still available. He was, and so we made arrangements to keep him safe until we were ready to come pick him up.

By the end of the day we had assembled our “rescue team” and let the restaurant know we were on our way to get Henry.

And no, please don’t steam him.

Chapter Three: The Great Escape

We headed to pick up Henry and began what I am sure will remain in my mind as both an awesome experience … and a typical day at the office.

Around 7:00 pm we arrived at the ocean and took Henry down to the water’s edge. It was raining as we placed him in the water. He seemed happy to be back in the sea water and crawled over to the rocks looking for a safe place to rest.

We were a little concerned that he would head back towards the shallow water, so we nudged him into the deep water with an umbrella. It was clear that the tide was coming in and that Henry would easily find his way back into the harbor.

We went back the next day to see if he was still on the rocks, but gratefully, we could not find him.

Ok, so it was a lobster. And ok, maybe this gesture seems petty in the larger scope of things.

But as with many things in life, it’s moments like this that make us feel good, that add a touch of joy to our days, whether in the office or outside of work.

So tonight, we’ll be ordering a nice big salad.

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Interesting report from The Economist ranking countries’ quality of death based on the end-of-life care services they offer. Note the U.S. down there in the #9 slot, with the U.K. topping the chart.

Having a way to measure end-of life results like this is helpful, if sobering.

So if you haven’t already done it, make it your goal today to share this finding – along with The One Slide from Engage With Grace – as a way to potentially impact how we collectively rank among our global peers.

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Thanks to Emmi Solutions for inviting us to contribute our take on how to “Connect with Soul” to their blog, Engaging the Patient.

Check out some of our top tenets for engaging people in their health – then add your own!

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The Eliza marketing team has been know to scout future talent at family events. We love to identify talent early!

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Mirroring the viral nature of the Engage With Grace movement itself, a recent Associated Press article on end-of-life planning (and the consequences of not making a plan) has been picked up in media outlets all across the country.

The piece includes Alexandra Drane’s personal story that helped launch Engage With Grace, as well as profiles on other people who turned their harrowing experiences into a personal mission.

Below is just a sampling of some of the places the story has appeared:

Atlanta Journal Constitution
Boston Globe
BusinessWeek
Chicago tribune
CNBC.com
Denver Post
Detroit Free Press
Forbes
Greensboro News & Record
Huffington Post
Kansas City Star
Las Vegas Sun
Los Angeles Times
Minneapolis Star Tribune
MSNBC.com
New York Daily News
NPR
Sacramento Bee
Salon.com
San Francisco Chronicle
Seattle Post Intelligencer
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Seattle Times
USA Today
Washington Post

So if you haven’t shared The One Slide (and answered it for yourself!), or joined the movement on Facebook, please do.

And thank you again to everyone who is helping spread the word on the importance of having these often difficult, yet extremely valuable, conversations.

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In August 2006 I was presented with an employment opportunity of a lifetime. I could not have asked for more – great team, fun and friendly environment, and I got to work with my dad. My mom joked, saying “I knew you would end up working with your dad someday. When you were young you would fall on the ground in a puddle of tears every time your dad left for work and now here you are working with him everyday…isn’t life funny.”

I was brought on as an accounting assistant and after my first day could easily see the endless possibilities for my future career path at Eliza. Yet I could never have imagined all I would see and experience along the way to where I am now. My current title is “HR Specialist.” That is what I do; why I do it is an entirely different story. Let me explain by sharing this account of “The New Space.”

Operation Sumo Suite from Eliza Blog on Vimeo.

It all began when we once again expanded our office space – this time taking over what was once was a neighboring company’s shipping center. After the space was cleared out, it was a blank canvas.

The discussion of what we would use this space for began and department heads explored the exciting opportunity of optimizing work flow and workspaces custom-built to accommodate an entire team.

This excitement may be hard to understand unless you first understand the concept of Eliza’s “Manifest Destiny,” which I learned about when I first started here.

As Eliza grew over the years, instead of relocating to a larger space, we chose to expand the current space every time one of our neighboring companies made a move – busting right through the wall and creating what seemed like the endless office.

The energy that resulted from these explosive expansions brought about innovation and creativity, with every inch of the “new space” put to work in the most effective possible way. The time had come to break out the architectural creativity hats and make the most of our “New Space” once again.

Through email, people had a chance to fight it out for the opportunity to expand their departments. In the brainstorming that followed we joked about the “New Space” being used to settle interdepartmental disputes in a constructive, yet highly amusing, manner.

The idea was to have the disputing parties talk it out and if no resolution could be made it would be settled sumo style. This sparked a flurry of fun email chains and some nostalgia, with fun senior management stories from the past.

The decision had been made – Operation Sumo Suite was in effect. But most important would be the element of surprise. An email went out notifying all employees of a mandatory meeting where Lucas Merrow, CEO, would be sharing the benefits of integrating Japanese culture into the workplace. Finally the day had arrived and only a select few had been recruited for the Sumo Ops team.

Implementing it properly was no easy task.

As 4:30 pm on a Friday rolled around, employees were blindly summoned into the new space where a feast of sushi and other Asian-themed delicacies were on display. Once the shock of food wore off, confusion set in as people tried to understand why the CEO was reading the Wikipedia definition of “Asian Culture” word-for-word.

Finally the back doors burst open to reveal Alex Drane (our President) and Rob Bergin (Director of IT) in fully inflated Sumo Suits. Laughter immediately filled the room and the presentation to follow was one that I will never forget. Alex came out victorious, showing Rob that she most definitely is “the boss lady.”

The suits were then available for any other brave souls willing to publicly humiliate themselves. Of course I was the first to jump in and try this out for myself. I will hold that moment as one of my favorite Eliza memories.

What was the point of all of that, you may ask?

In an environment like Eliza it’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day and forget to enjoy the company’s progression and accomplishments, or to simply take the time to enjoy fellow coworkers. I have the unique opportunity to facilitate opportunities for employees to reflect and enjoy even the smallest achievements – like completing yet another great work week.

It is in this that Eliza’s culture allows for an opportunity of strong team growth and development each and every day. The benefit of this environment is priceless.

It also creates continued respect for peers, allowing team problem solving to thrive.

As long as I can remember, every time the stress levels at Eliza gets too high or tension is unavoidable, there’s been an opportunity to constructively suppress and subside it — making sure that every team member knows how much their hard work is appreciated.

In this instance I would categorize this method as “blowing off steam by blowing up the fun.”

As I continue my professional career with Eliza I am continuously blessed to have the opportunity to be innovative in how we handle tough HR situations.

This is just one of the many nontraditional yet effective tools Eliza uses to keep production at its highest level by ensuring that its employees are happy.

Sumo Ops team – job well done! I am once again brought to reflect about how I have nothing but gratitude for the opportunities and support that I have been given over the years.

The people I work with are the biggest reason for me getting up every day and doing what I do.

I LOVE MY JOB!

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In a twist on our own communication philosophy, the New York Times asks Alexandra Drane some questions about what makes Eliza tick. 

Check it out.

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An article in the Wall Street Journal reports that “small amounts of support…can produce large and lasting gains against one of America’s biggest health problems – physical inactivity.”

Somewhat surprising but not really, since we’ve seen that when done right, a gentle nudge (such as an automated call) can impact a range of behaviors – from participation in health management programs to medication adherence to health plan retention.

Imagine the possibilities.

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What happens when you gather a couple thousand healthcare, business, and government movers & shakers, then sic them on big topics such as reform, consumerism, and improving care?

Join us at the World Health Care Congress, starting April 12, to find out.

We’ll be in the midst of all, participating in events including:

A panel discussion led by Alexandra Drane featuring Ingrid Lindberg (Customer Experience Officer at CIGNA) and MaryAnn Stump (Chief Innovation Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota) on Tuesday, April 13. The topic is one that is certainly close to our hearts: “Redesign for the New Consumer Customer.”

Sharing some high-level results of a recent health plan loyalty survey – in which we asked over 9000 Americans to rank the qualities they most value in a health insurance plan – and how their plans stack up against their ideal.

An informal luncheon roundtable on Tuesday April 13, during which Alexandra Drane will be leading a discussion on what we can all do – both as healthcare industry insiders and as parents, children, and friends – to facilitate and document end-of-life preferences.

A presence in the exhibit hall, where we can meet up and share how we’re helping people “be touched” in ways that are meaningful, impactful, and memorable.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

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When it comes to hospital stays, we all want people to get out…and stay out. It’s best for their health, and better for cost containment.

A recent article outlines some of our experience reaching out to people following a hospital discharge to assess and address their likelihood of re-admissions.

Because we’d rather they stay home and healthy — even if they can rock a hospital gown. 

Photo by Greencolander used under Creative Commons License

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The debate on healthcare reform continues to simmer.

For anyone who hasn’t read the thousand or so pages of legislation, we invited Jeff Goldsmith Ph.D. (President of of Health Futures, Inc. and Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia) to offer his insight on what we can expect from the next chapter in health reform – and how we can start thinking ahead of the curve as healthcare providers and insurers.

In a session to many high-level healthcare executives, Dr. Goldsmith touched on the following points:

Deficit reduction

• The Congressional Budget Office forecasts massive deficits over the next ten years
• When Congress gets around to reducing those deficits, they will be forced to cut Medicare, the balance item in the Federal budget
• When the budget is again balanced, it will likely focus on health plans, specialty physicians and hospitals – particularly their outpatient costs

Widening of hospital role in health system

• This is due to a combination of cuts in non-hospital surgery and imaging Medicare payments as well as the increasing amount of hospital-employed physicians
• Hospitals are still viewed by policy makers as the principal leverage point in controlling health costs
• An increased focus on managing clinical risk in chronic disease

What role will health plans and DM firms play in reshaping the health system?

• Current provisions lack a unified view of the patient; Medical Home is on the right track, but we need to do more. At present, both physicians and hospitals are poorly equipped to actually manage the health or health costs of populations of patients. This creates a new opportunity for providers, health plans, and DM firms to collaborate.
• Use data analytics to track patients’ behaviors and nudge them in the right direction when it comes to caring for their health
• Really listen to the people served, understand their health motivations and challenges, and give them the tools and support to better manage their health risks

Read Dr. Goldsmith’s other takes on the current and future state of healthcare.

It’s good food for thought, no matter which side of the debate you stand on.

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The day before a recent business trip Josh popped into my office to drop off Eliza’s new blog cards.

These are about half the size of a normal business card, featuring the red mohawked chocolate rabbit and the elizablog web address. They’re on good paper, and cool, and I since I had been sweating Sarah’s since the Audience conference  in NYC I was glad to take these on the road with me.

The clients I gave it to got a kick out of the rabbit and it turned out to be a great way to start a conversation about the “hardcore” analysis that’s part of the ElizaLive suite of engagement and analytic products.

The reaction of my niece, on the other hand, is another story…

It just so happens that my sister and brother-in-law live 5 minutes from one of the clients I was visiting so I stopped by to see them and my nieces who are 7 and 4. During the visit I pulled out the cards and handed them to the girls.

The oldest, Paige gave it a look and a chuckle and asked, “Is that a chocolate rabbit?” I said it was.

Then Brooke (the precocious one), who had been blankly looking at it the whole time, passed it back to me and said deadpan: “I better not find that in my Easter basket” …and walks away.

They must not get to discriminant function analysis until kindergarten.

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We often look to the world of consumer product design for inspiration when designing our own outreach.

So we read with interest a recent review in Wired magazine that singled out one new mobile device from the crowd. It wasn’t the phone with all the latest bells and whistles – it was the one with an interface described as “endearing.”

When food is cooked with love, people taste the love; when things are designed with love it makes for a loving experience.

Those are words to live by to the folks behind Sagem’s Puma phone, and they are words that we take to heart, too.

The result? Comments like these from the people with whom we interact….

“I do appreciate [health plan’s] concern and maybe for waking me up a little a little bit to get a little more aggressive in seeing a doctor, so I thank you for your wake-up call.”

“Oh thanks for jogging my memory; thank you so much. I’ll get on the phone and make my appointment tomorrow without fail. Thanks again; bye-bye”

“I feel very good about that; about you calling me. I mean it makes me feel special. And I was having sort of- a little bit of a down day today and that has cheered me up. Thank you very much. Bye-bye.”

“It’s wonderful that I would get a call from Medicare. It makes me feel good. Makes me feel a little bit lifted; more than what I was earlier. It makes me want to cry because people out there really care. They care about people and their health. It’s not just because of the money they can get from them. But it’s down to heart loving people. It’s the health they care about. People is what matters. Not the money. And I hope the world will think about that. I appreciate it and thank you so much. Bye-bye.”

“Well I usually don’t engage with phone solicitations of any kind but I went ahead and listened and I felt- I would say somewhat inspired by that very meaningful reminder. So thank you; I will see what I can do to take that walk in the park. Have a great holiday; bye-bye”.

There’s always going to be a Next Big Thing.

To us, the challenge is in staying fresh, staying relevant, and most of all, staying authentic.

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Valentine’s Day is a pretty big deal at Eliza.

And why not?

It’s about celebrating life, enjoying yourself, friends and family and the meaningful connections that intertwine us all.

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So how to celebrate?

How about some impromptu cards, temporary tattoos and chocolate? (All things in moderation, of course.)

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Moderation? Oh yeah, did we mention the world’s largest gummy bear?  No?

Okay.  Well we did that too.

Yes, it is completely ridiculous and there’s not much of an argument one can make for it — except for sheer unadulterated fun and general silliness.

Both of which are key ingredients of the connections that intertwine the best relationships.

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We talk a lot at Eliza about accountability and ownership. It is even one of the criteria that we rate employees against when evaluating their performance. This concept really hit home for me this week when an incident happened with my daughter, who is in the fifth grade.

All the elementary classes at her school were participating in a reading contest, and the class that read the most books would get treated to a lunch out. Every student in the class had to read at least one chapter of their favorite book out loud. My daughter was really excited about this, since she’s been an avid reader since an early age.

About a week ago she came home with a note saying that she was talking in class when it was work time. This has never happened before and when asked about it, she said she was sorry. It happened a second time a few days later. She was given an after-class assignment.

When she got home I sat her down and asked why this was going on — she told me that she couldn’t talk about it. Now I am perplexed - is she watching too much tv? Is this the start of teenager issues? Have I been traveling too much and not paying attention to her?

The next day I picked her up from school and told her that no matter what - I HAVE to know what is going with her so I can help. She calmly explained that she didn’t need my help, but the little boy who sits next to her in class can’t read very well and his father beats him. My daughter was reading the assignment to him in class so he could finish it and not get in trouble. She was also whispering the words to him so he could read his book out loud.

I asked why she would do that and she said “because Mommy, it is the right thing to do and no one else would help him.” She went on to explain that if all the kids in her class didn’t do the reading to win the prize, they would make fun of him.

I looked at her in awe and it dawned on me - this is the example I will use when people ask how they can become more accountable in their jobs.

Every person at Eliza owns a piece of the culture and environment of the company. If there is another department or team member who needs help and support, it is up to each of us to take action.

If we stand by and watch things happen that we know aren’t right - we are just as guilty. If we sit around and talk about how hard or horrible things are and don’t come up with solutions - we are just as responsible.

Photo by Clearly Ambiguous  used under Creative Commons License

This is true in my daughter’s situation too. Even though it isn’t “my business” I set up a meeting with the teacher to tell her what’s going on. My husband went to the boy’s family’s house so he could talk with the parents and offer our assistance.

We are working to help that little boy succeed, because without him, the class can’t succeed.

That same all-for-one, one-for-all spirit applies here at Eliza, too. I am so glad I work here.

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