UPMC Health Plan Best Use of Thought Leadership

UPMC Health Plan, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., is among the nation's fastest-growing health plans. As part of an integrated health care delivery system, UPMC Health Plan is committed to providing its members better health, more financial security, and the peace of mind they deserve.

Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 1,250 characters):

UPMC Health Plan, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is owned by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a world-renowned health care provider. Our Member Services foundation provides World Class experiences to 4M+ members. Our contact center has 369 concierges, annually answering 2.4M inbound calls, 46K chats, 20K web messages and conducting 540K outreach calls. Focusing on people, processes, and technology, we drive enhancements across the organization ensuring member satisfaction and driving growth. Our Healthcare Concierge Service offers service beyond traditional industry standards, taking pride ensuring our members are cared for, delivering First Call Resolution (FCR) and a robust service recovery program to guarantee issues are resolved.

Our commitment to excellence is unwavering, and dedication to process improvements based on customer feedback is the driving force to keep us moving forward. With our tools we can hone-in on member feedback to identify areas for improvement and make more meaningful changes to our operations. Doing this we are consistently gaining efficiency while delivering the exceptional experiences that we promise our members.

Outline the organization's achievements since July 1, 2023 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 1,500 characters):

We have strengthened leadership and elevated customer service through three core initiatives: Pathway to Leadership, Leadership Odyssey, and Leadership Retreats plus community partnerships with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and Best of the Batch Foundation. Pathway to Leadership equips emerging leaders with practical tools to coach effectively, communicate clearly, and make customer-first decisions through real-world scenarios and simulations. Leadership Odyssey builds emotional intelligence and strategic thinking, helping leaders align strategy with service delivery and solve complex challenges. Leadership Retreats offer interactive sessions that build confidence and adaptability under pressure while reinforcing empathy and collaboration. Community Impact Days connect leadership to service values by engaging employees in volunteer work that strengthens teamwork and problem-solving, linking community service directly to exceptional customer care.

These programs ensure the success of our leaders allowing us to have 97% of our leaders beginning their career as a Concierge. Strong leaders build strong culture and drive member experience, reflected in 98% Member Satisfaction, 96.1% First Call Resolution and 98.5% Concierge Helpfulness scores. These initiatives create a holistic system that develops leaders, engages teams, and elevates customer service, resulting in award-winning performance and a culture where excellence is practiced inside and outside the organization.

Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 1,500 characters):

UPMC Health Plan's leadership development strategy has transformed our contact center into an industry benchmark for excellence. Through integrated programs, Pathway to Leadership, Leadership Odyssey, and Leadership Retreats, we equip leaders with practical skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative behaviors that directly impact performance. Our Community Impact Days extend these lessons beyond the workplace, reinforcing empathy and precision in real-world settings.

This disciplined approach delivers measurable results: turnover at 14.82%, far below the 30-45% industry norm, service consistency, and strengthening trust, specifically #1 in this according to JD Power. Engagement reached 77% with 97% MyVoice survey participation, nearly double industry norms, proving employees feel heard and valued. These cultural and operational gains have earned global recognition: ICMI Best Large Contact Center (2024), two Gold Stevie Awards (2025), and highest in Member Satisfaction in Pennsylvania by J.D. Power - Commercial plans for two years and Medicare plans for three years. Our Call Center is also J.D. Power Certified. By integrating leadership training with community engagement, we've closed the gap between learning and performance, creating a system that makes excellence visible and repeatable. This is more than training, it's a leadership-driven culture that consistently delivers award-winning service and sets the standard for the industry.

Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 1,500 characters):

The attached supporting materials substantiate the impact and scope of the initiatives described in this nomination. The Pathway to Leadership curriculum overview, Leadership Odyssey agendas, and competency frameworks provide evidence of the rigor, structure, and strategic alignment of our development programs. Participant evaluations and assessment summaries further demonstrate measurable growth in leadership capability and direct correlations to customer-service performance.

Additionally, the Community Impact Days documentation, and Leadership Retreat include photographs, volunteer summaries, and partner organization acknowledgments, validates the scope of employee involvement and community benefit. Internal performance reports included in the attachments illustrate improvements in employee engagement, coaching effectiveness, and service outcomes year-over-year. Together, these materials offer objective support for the claims presented and reinforce our organization's commitment to thought-leadership-driven excellence.