United Airlines Donates 3.5M Miles to Children's Hospitals
United Airlines transformed its frequent fliers into givers by donating 3.5 million miles to support the Children's Circle of Care, the national network of 20 children's hospitals.
The 3.5 million miles are equivalent to 140 trips around the world, according to Eileen Sweeney, United Airlines Foundation's VP. The Children's Circle of Care, which includes children's hospital in Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Seattle, will use the donated mileage to defray the cost of air travel for young patients and their family members.
Since United launched its Charity Miles Program in 1996, its frequent fliers have donated 80 million miles to participating charitable and medical organizations that include the American Red Cross, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Special Olympics. The foundation targets philanthropic efforts in four key areas: education, local partnerships, employee volunteerism and health issues. (United Airlines, Tony Molinaro, 847/700-4088)
Alternative Care: Mail Order Program Provides Nutritional Supplements
Responding to increasing consumer interest for nutritional supplement benefits to be added to health plan coverage, two healthcare organizations teamed to launch a national mail order program.
Earlier this month, Landmark Healthcare, an alternative managed care company based in Sacramento, Calif., partnered with Leiner Health Products, the largest manufacturer of vitamins and nutritional supplements, to offer health plan members 25% off nutritional supplements.
The program is filling a customer void for herbal therapies and vitamins, says Marla J. Orth, Landmark's CEO, who referred to Landmark's 1997 national public opinion poll. The research found that more than 40% of U.S. adults use alternative care. Of those who use alternative care, more than 70% "self administer" vitamin and herbal therapies.
This nutritional supplement program is the first value-added program of its kind for Landmark's managed alternative care benefits intitiatives. (Landmark, Sheri Chow, 916/569-3326)
Awards: Hospital Gets Online PR Industry Recognition
Interactive PR & Marketing News (IPRMN), an HPRMN sister publication, recently gave PR kudos to Bayfront Medical Center for its innovative community-targeted "Health Adventure" Web site.
The medical center, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., was recognized with an honorable mention earlier this month at a "Netty Awards" dinner presentation at the Direct Marketing Association online marketing conference in Miami. The presentation was co-sponsored by MCI and USADATA.com.
Bayfront uses its Web site (http://www.bayfront.org) to promote the hospital's services and to forge community-based partnerships with local businesses, schools and the media. The site bills itself as a one-stop online resource for the community on healthcare issues featuring sections like "Health News Byte/Kids Health News Byte," "Temple on Health Game/Interactive Health Quiz" and "Woman's Way to Health."
The Web site also will be used by the local Pinellas County Schools System as an extension of its health curriculum. (IPRMN, Karen Stairs, 301/340-7788, ext. 2143; Bayfront Medical Center, CeCe Bowman, 813/893-6889)
Agency News: Edelman Fills Global Healthcare Leadership Role
Edelman Public Relations Worldwide (EPRW) recently appointed Nick May as global sector head/director for Europe and Asia Pacific.
May comes to Edelman with 27 years of industry experience, most recently from Burston-Marstellar, where he served as healthcare practice chair for Europe. (EPRW, Nancy Turett, 212/704-8194)