SCAN Health Plan, in Collaboration with Primacy, Wins Prestigious Webby Award for Trading Ages Virtual Reality

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SCAN Health Plan^®, a not-for-profit provider of Medicare Advantage health plans to seniors in California, today announced it has received a 2020 Webby Award for its Trading Ages Virtual Reality (TAVR) program. Developed by SCAN in partnership with digital experience agency Primacy, TAVR taps the power of virtual reality to bring to life SCAN's long-running senior-sensitivity workshop, Trading Ages. In the first half of this year alone, SCAN's TAVR has also been honored by the Stevie Award's Annual Business Awards and Healthcare Advertising Awards.

"Winning three awards for TAVR this year validates how vital empathy is to improving how society interacts with and supports our senior population," said Josh Goode, chief information officer at SCAN. "We're grateful to have developed this program with a partner like Primacy, whose advanced technology allowed us to create such an accurate and immersive VR experience that grasps the visual, auditory and cognitive impairments of aging."

SCAN developed Trading Ages to provide participants with the "lived experience" of older adults so they could gain a deeper insight into the aging process. By innovating the senior sensitivity workshop from interactive to immersive through virtual reality, the program more effectively allows SCAN to educate participants about such changes as loss of dexterity, vision, hearing and more, while cultivating empathy for those dealing with these diminished capacities.

The Webby Awards honor the best of the internet and are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a panel of over 2,000 industry experts and technology innovators. This year's 24^th annual program was the most competitive in the award's history, receiving over 13,000 entries from more than 70 countries worldwide. SCAN and Primacy together were recognized as a Webby Winner in the "360-Video: Branded" category, which honors the best, most innovative, and effective or creative 360-degree video created on behalf of a brand.

"We believe that technology can and should be used to help people—so we were thrilled when SCAN turned to us for an option that would portray the authentic first-person perspective needed to accurately capture aspects of being a senior through the use of advanced technology," added Melissa Tait, senior vice president of technology at Primacy. "This real-world viewpoint allowed us to add visual and auditory disabilities experienced in real life and play them through VR headsets for a collective experience among all participants."

Earlier in 2020, TAVR was acknowledged by the 2020 Stevie Awards' Annual American Business Awards, earning a Silver in the Healthcare Technology Solution Category of the Product Management & New Product Awards. The 37^th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards recognized SCAN in five categories, including a Silver win for TAVR in the Special Video category.  

"Our goal is to improve seniors' quality of life by equipping those they interact with—including family members, first responders and healthcare professionals—with a better understanding of the physical and mental effects of aging," continued Jennifer-Brooks-Mason, vice president of digital strategy at SCAN. "Empathy can be learned and reinforced, so using technology not only makes the program more relevant and meaningful, but also a more effective educational tool."

About SCAN Health Plan  
SCAN Health Plan is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans, serving more than 215,000 members in California. Since its founding in 1977, SCAN has been a mission-driven organization dedicated to keeping seniors healthy and independent. Independence at Home, a SCAN community service, provides vitally needed services and support to seniors and their caregivers. SCAN also offers education programs, community funding, volunteer opportunities and other community services throughout our California service area. To learn more, visit scanhealthplan.com or facebook.com/scanhealthplan or follow us on Twitter @scanhealthplan.

About Primacy
Primacy is a full-service digital experience agency that provides unparalleled client service and in-depth industry expertise. We create smarter experiences that connect with people during meaningful moments – building greater value for brands while driving measurable results. Primacy works with a diverse range of clients in verticals including consumer, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education. Clients include Aetna, Amica, Boston College, Cannondale, Cornell University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dolby, The Hartford, HMR Program, MIT, Mutual of Omaha, Otis Elevator Company, SCAN Health Plan, Rice University, Tufts Medical Center, UChicago Medicine, University College London, and more. The company is headquartered in West Palm Beach, with offices in Boston, and Hartford. To find out more, visit www.theprimacy.com.

SOURCE SCAN Health Plan

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