Health Promotion Blog

According to Gordian Health Solutions, the effectiveness of health promotion programs in improving health and lowering healthcare costs is directly linked to incentives -

o  The more substantial the incentives,

o  The higher the success rate.

Incentives can range from tokens of achievement, such as t-shirts, water bottles and sports equipment, to more substantial financial awards, such as cash incentives or copay vouchers for the successful completion of a wellness program.

Nationwide Insurance is seeing results from a small incentive program initiated by among the company’s on-site nurses.  To encourage lunchtime walking, the worker has informally launched a “shoelace program” modeled after the karate-belt color system.

Staff Members progress through the color scale until they reach “black-lace” status.  The reward system has resulted in more workforce making commitments to walk during their lunch hour.

At the high end of the reward spectrum, some corporations pay cash to staff who meet wellness objectives. LuK, Inc. offers staff $250 for kicking the tobacco habit and remaining smoke free for 12 months.

For logging fitness points that add up to 10 miles a month, employees are eligible for health assessments, which may result in reward amounts of up to $225.

The most effective motivator, according to Gordian research, comes through linking participation in wellness programs directly to insurance premiums. Doing so clearly demonstrates to personnel the positive effects of wellness on their own healthcare costs.

Typically, the first step in linking health promotion programming to insurance coverage is lowering deductibles for wellness care or eliminating deductibles altogether. By adding this benefit, companies can encourage staff members to undertake routine screenings and other procedures to respond to medical problems before they become chronic.

Early detection benefits both patient health and employer health costs.

Incentivizing wellness program participation with health care credits

More frequently, businesss are going beyond increased wellness care coverage and looking to demonstrate the importance of wellness by linking participation to employees’ bottom lines.

Worthington Industries has recently rolled out a health promotion program that allows workers to eliminate their portion of the insurance premium by enrolling in a Healthy Choices health promotion program.

During the first year of the Healthful Options program, staff members and their spouses complete Personal Health Assessments and biometric testings to determine their levels of health risks.

Nurses, dietitians and exercise professionals are available to help moderate- and high-risk participants develop individual action plans for improved health through the use of educational materials, behavior modification, telephone help from third-party program health coordinators, and formal health management programs.

By completing the assessments, staff earn their full premium credit. Because some plans at Worthington require no employee contribution, a cash award takes the place of a credit in those cases.

During year two of the wellness program, the wellness bar is raised slightly.  To continue to receive the wellness credit, participants in the moderate- to high-risk category will be required to work at establishing goals with third-party health coordinators.

Year three raises the bar again, requiring participants to show progress in meeting objectives and to continue to work with health coordinators to reach objectives.

After year three, Worthington Industries workers are going to be on the wellness track.  The organization believes that’ll mean a healthier workforce and cost savings for workers and the organization.

The well being of Worthington personnel is the foundation of this health promotion program, and both personnel and the company are expected to benefit from the long-term advantages of the Healthful Choices Wellness Program.

While Worthington has taken a wide approach to wellness, other businesses have found success in offering incentives in specific areas. Longaberger, for instance, offers a discount on healthcare policies for workers who don’t use tobacco.

A personal employee who does not use tobacco saves $7 per bi-weekly pay. for tobacco-free staff members with family coverage whose families are also tobacco-free, the savings increases to $14 per pay.

The next step –  Penalizing harmful behaviors

As it stands, health care is the only type of insurance that doesn’t focus on penalizing for behaviors that put the insured party at risk. With health care costs rising so dramatically, that could soon change.

Just as an accident likely raises auto insurance premiums, increasing premiums for those who engage in unhealthy behaviors is a possible next step in businesss’ attempts to manage health care costs.

Reports that workers would support this type of action are stacking up. One Ohio employer conducted an informal survey that indicated workers would consider it a morale increase when health-conscious workers were relieved of some of the burden of subsidizing care for workers who engage in behaviors that adversely affect their health.

Whether or not this type of health promotion program gains popularity, one thing is sure –  the need to control the rise in healthcare costs is becoming ever more pressing.

Take the first step

No matter what the strategy, from offering staff members medical resources to providing incentives for healthy behaviors, businesss have a real opportunity to improve morale and productivity, decrease rates of absenteeism and control health care costs through wellness.

The first step is committing to taking one, no matter what size effort is appropriate for your organization.  Big strides start with small steps.

Preventing injuries is a high priority for corporations, especially in factory establishings such as Honda. That’s why the business offers several programsâ.”including line-site process evaluations â.”to identify potential hazards and help reduce the chance of injury.

As part of an early intervention program, Honda staff who are feeling pain can receive a massage of the affected area during work time.

Stretching programs are another effective tool in injury prevention. As reported by the Best Practices in Manufacturing Web site, Dayton Parts, Inc. (DPI) in Harrisburg, Pa., conducted research that revealed approximately 80% of all manufacturing injuries occurred within the first two hours of each shift.

After starting a program that required production workforce to stretch for 10 to 15 minutes at the beginning of their shifts, they saw a dramatic reduction in injuries.

While the DPI program costs about $75,000 a year to operate, joined with other organization programs, it’s assisted bring the annual cost of workers’ compensation from $700,000 to $200,000 per year.6

To help prevent lengthy absences and reduce workers’ compensation claims, Honda instituted a work recovery program. Through the program, workers who’ve had an injury can work in a modified jobâ.”getting better.

Workers in the program spend their work days receiving physical conditioning to increase overall fitness, physical therapy to restore functionality, health education and nutrition counseling.  The program is based on data that shows fewer work days are lost when an employee stays connected to the work environment.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, www.ohiobwc.com, provides a “10-Step Business Plan” as a guide for corporations in providing health promotion programs that aim to reduce injuries.  The plan includes information on safety and health programs to prevent occurrences of on-the-job accidents, including -

Worker involvement – to ensure the success of any company wellness program, personnel must participate in the safety and health-management process.

This can be done through safety and health audits, accident examinations, or by forming safety and health involvement teams, focus groups or committees.

Orientation and training plan – Conduct orientation and training sessions to educate workers on the company’s safety policies.

These sessions ought to include procedures for the safe use of machinery and tools, chemical hazards and how to prevent contact or exposure, specific job/task safe practices, and hazard recognition and prevention.

Communication – Open communication keeps workers informed and provides suggestions and feedback on the effectiveness of the corporation’s health promotion program.

Through memos, bulletin boards and staff meetings, important safety and health information could be conveyed throughout the company, keeping all upper-level management staff and workers knowledgeable about the organization’s safe practices.

The corporation plan also outlines incentives for post-injury procedures, including -

Medical treatment and return-to-work practices – arly return-to-work strategies help injured or ill workforce return to work in a timely manner.

Businesses should establish a disability management policy to help injured or ill personnel obtain quality medical treatment, making their transition back to work quick and effortless.

Timely notification of claims – Businesss should document workplace injuries immediately after they occur and promptly send that documentation to a claims handler.

Quickly providing claim information demonstrates care and concern for the injured worker, avoids delays and confusion with the claim process, and reduces the potential for abuse or needless litigation.

Record keeping – Internal documents must be kept to record work-time injuries and to assess the success of the organization’s safety efforts.

Business audits, surveys and injury or disease reports can all be used to analyze which safety practices and policies have proven successful, and what areas of wellness need improvement.

Dr. Moore of Nationwide maintains that immunization is the most cost-effective treatment in medicine. for example, vaccinating kids against the influenza virus averages a savings (including health care costs, parents’ missed work, etc.) of up to $35 per vaccine recipient.

And professionals predict that estimate is low, because it does not take into account the rapid spread of the flu.

The American Association of Family Physicians’ Web site, www.aafp.org, offers a recommended adult immunization schedule created by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

This schedule, tiered by age and chances of exposure, recommends diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, pneumonococcal, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, measles, mumps and rubella, varicella and meningococcal vaccinations.

Ideas to incorporate prevention and early detection -

o  Hold a health fair and invite organizations that provide screening services for such conditions as blood pressure, blood iron, cholesterol, Body Mass Index  and diabetes.

o  Make available educational materials about well-baby care and immunizations.

o  Select health care coverage plans that include wellness check-ups and immunizations.

o  Provide onsite mammograms for workforce.

o  Sponsor on-site flu shots to coincide with flu season.

Advantages of Stress Reduction Programs

While stress cannot be eliminated from life, or even from the worksite, coping skills may be created with relative ease. Stress management skills lead to lowered absenteeism and more effective, more productive workforce.

Because stress has been proven to contribute to such physical conditions as ulcers, high blood pressure (BP) and stroke, stress reduction has a direct impact on improving physical health.

Studies have shown that heart patients who attend stress management programs have 42 percent lower health care costs. Other studies have documented a 50 percent reduction in medical services use when stress management programs are employed.

Furthermore, Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP) professionals estimate that 20% of any workforce is affected by personal problems that can influence work performance.

Stress reduction tactics to consider -

o  Make available on-site yoga or meditation classes.

o  Organize support groups among staff members.

o  Sponsor stress management courses during the workday.

o  Provide an employee assistance program that includes both counseling and referral.

o  Provide on-site counseling for workers in the case of a work-related trauma, such as the death of a coworker.

Advantages of Prenatal Care and Breastfeeding

The old adage “an ounce of avoidance is worth a pound of cure” is in particular relevant to when applied to preventive measures taken during pregnancy, when a few additional ounces of birth weight can save a child’s life.

During pregnancy, simple precautions can help avoid catastrophic results; giving up use of tobacco, for example, drastically lowers the risk of miscarriage and pre-term labor.

The March of Dimes reports that when all women took adequate folic acid before conception and during pregnancy, the number of babies born with a neural tube defect could drop by as much as 70 percent.

The physical and emotional benefits of proper prenatal care to a mother and child are underscored by a strong company case for offering prenatal wellness benefits. Nationwide’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Michael Moore, estimates costs to care for one baby delivered prematurely could approach $500,000.

First steps in fostering a prenatal program -

o  Invite the March of Dimes to present information about prenatal health at an employee brownbag lunch or breakfast meeting.

o  Hold prenatal care information classes for interested workforce during lunchtime.

o  Provide educational materials about the effects of alcohol, drugs and tobacco use on an unborn child.

o  Offer incentives for adopting healthful life choices during pregnancy.

o  Make available prenatal programs and education as part of the organization healthcare package.

Advantages of Tobacco use Cessation Programs

Instances of respiratory diseases, cancer and other diseases could be reduced through use of tobacco cessation efforts. Tobacco use cessation programs can provide huge opportunities for improved health.

The American Cancer Society reports that smoking workers cost corporations an typical of $1,429 per smoker each year in increased health care costs over non-smoking workers.

Implementing a use of tobacco cessation program costs an average of $45 per worker per year, saving corporations an average of $1,383 per year for each worker who quits use of tobacco. Likewise, the American Cancer Society reports that smokers are absent from work 50% more often than nonsmokers.

They are also 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized and have 15 percent higher disability rates. Use of tobacco lowers onthe- job productivity as well. Employees who take four 10- minute use of tobacco breaks a day work more than a month less each year than staff who do not take smoke breaks.

Places to begin with smoking cessation programs -

o  Develop a “buddy” program to provide encouragement for those who commit to stop use of tobacco.

o  Offer lung capacity tests at business wellness fairs.

o  Consider reimbursement for smoking cessation tools –  nicotine gum, patches and inhalers.

o  Limit smoking areas in the workplace.

o  Give on-site tobacco use cessation sessions.

Benefits of Nutrition Programs

Nutrition directly impacts almost every aspect of physical and mental health. A healthful diet can help protect against such conditions as heart illness, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, certain cancers and depression. Obesity, which is among the most common conditions linked to diet, affects a record number of Americans.

The American Journal of Health Promotion estimates the cost of obesity to U.S. corporation to exceed $12.5 billion in healthcare, sick leave, and life and disability insurance.

Moreover, one study reports that obesity raises healthcare costs by 36% and medication costs by 77%.  To offset the health risks of obesity and poor diet, many corporations have committed to helping staff members ensure proper nutrition and undertake weight control programs.

Well-liked nutrition programs -

o  Provide staff members with educational materials or courses on proper nutrition provided by a registered dietitian.

o  Offer onsite Weight Watchers meetings or other weight management programs.

o  Provide nutritious and health conscience meal choices in the cafeteria and vending machines.

o  Obviously post nutrition information for all cafeteria and vending machine items.

o  Give low cost, healthful, take-home dinner options for workforce and their families.

o  Draw attention to healthy consuming habits by providing token incentives, such as pencils or ID holders, for achieving five fruits or vegetable servings a day for a week.

Nutrition programs in action

While many corporations address weight control through fitness programs, corporations are increasingly focusing on nutrition through separate programming. Recognizing the productivity increase and reduced medical expenditures that come with maintaining a healthful weight, many corporations might help pay for obesity treatments for staff.

For example, to improve the health of dangerously obese personnel, drug maker Wyeth reportedly pays for stomach-shrinking surgeries that carry price tags of up to $40,000.

A 2003 Society of Human Resource Management study shows that 24 percent of companys offer losing weight programs. In Ohio, Honda offers an on-site, registered dietitian who provides individual or group consultations on weight control. Body fat analysis and Body Mass Index (BMI)  measurements are available to staff members at any time.

At Grange Insurance’s Columbus headquarters, the cafeteria chef examines meals and provides staff members basic nutrition information, including Weight Watchers points.

A lot of organizations partner with the American Cancer Society to offer nutrition information through the “5-ADay” program, which provides companys free signage and educational materials about the importance of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

The program also offers a fruit and vegetable “frequency card” that gives staff a free portion of fruit or vegetables after he or she’s purchased a preset number.

Advantages of Fitness Plans

Exercise decreases weight, decreases risks of heart attack and stroke, assists to control blood pressure and diabetes, and improves mood. Studies increasingly show that exercise might also help reduce the occurrence of certain kinds of cancer.

Scientists at the Centers for Illness Control and Avoidance (CDC) recently documented another major advantage –  exercise improves the health of the nation’s medical care expenditures.3 As reported by the CDC, physically active individuals incur $865 less each year in healthcare costs than inactive individuals .

Dr. Michael Moore, vice president and chief medical director at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, maintains that exercise is the most effective tool in health maintenance. “If you could prescribe exercise in a pill, it would be the number-one prescribed treatment in the world,” he said.

In step with Dr. Moore’s prescription, nearly one-third of USA companies help employees pay for fitness center memberships, as reported by an Associated Press report. Subsidizing fitness center memberships is just one way companies encourage active lifestyles.

Well-liked fitness-forward programs -

o  Begin a organization softball or volleyball league.

o  Compile and distribute information about opportunities to join athletic groups in your community.

o  Offer partial or complete reimbursement for exercise facility memberships.

o  Hold aerobics, karate, yoga or other types of fitness classes onsite.

o  Provide extended lunch hours for workforce who commit to lunchtime fitness plans.

o  Introduce an onsite fitness facility that is free, or available at a nominal cost, to personnel and their families.

o  Conduct on-site wellness fairs that include fitness demonstrations and promote fitness activities and resources.

Wellness program means different things to different businesses. Effective wellness programs could be as simple as bringing bushel baskets of fresh fruit into break rooms to encourage better eating. They could be as robust as building fitness facilities onsite or paying for obesity treatments.

A driving factor behind the push toward wellness spans businesses of all kinds, sizes and cultures –  that is, health care costs are spilling over the corporate belt buckle.

The annual cost of medical services in the United States is rising at seven times the rate of inflation.  And the rise in healthcare costs is one boom pundits expect our economy to sustain.1

This trend makes it increasingly challenging for companys to maintain current levels of insurance coverage. In 2003, health care inflation forced 65 percent of corporations to increase employees’ share of medical costs.

Seventy-nine% of large firms said they will increase workers’ share of medical costs in 2004.2 But with lost benefits and increased financial burdens come lost morale and productivity.

Corporations are searching for another way. While organizations cannot control many of the supply-side elements contributing to rising healthcare costsâ.”malpractice insurance rates, the nursing shortageâ.”they can help curb demand. That’s why efforts are being redirected from disease to wellness.

The case for wellness is supported by an ever growing body of evidence demonstrating the high costs associated with controllable health risks -

o  One study reports that obesity raises health care costs by 36 percent and medication costs by 77 percent.

o  Michigan officials estimate physical inactivity cost the state nearly $8.9 billion in 2002, a cost estimated to be largely borne by companys through insurance premiums and lost productivity.

o  The not-for-profit National Committee for Quality Assurance reports that the estimated average cost for postnatal care for women who didn’t receive prenatal care was $2,341 more than for women who had.  And the indirect costs of unhealthful behavior could be just as high.

Data shows that healthier employees are more productive, spending more time at work and showing increased “presenteeism,” or productivity, while there. Furthermore, healthier employees use fewer medical services.

The five leading causes of death in the USA â.” heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes â.”  are directly linked to unhealthful lifestyles. Obviously, stimulating healthful habits presents an opportunity to improve employees’ well being, reduce the need for health care services and help control costs.

Offering staff member wellness benefits â.” large or small â.” represents an intersection between corporate social responsibility and responsibility to stakeholders. Between staff member health and corporate health. It is often the right thing to do for employees and businesss.

Research by Traveler’s Corp. shows a $3.40 return for every dollar invested in Wellness Programs. for many businesses, the option to offer staff member wellness benefits is easyâ.”one where conscience and pragmatism align.

The challenge arises in selecting  the health promotion programs that will deliver the most impact based on trends in your employees’ health risks and medical claims costs.

From big businesses to the corner deli, company owners welcome ways to improve productivity, reduce absenteeism and cut costs. In like fashion, health promotion programs can range from modest to elaborate.

In deciding where to focus a organization’s limited resources, looking at costs, benefits and best practices is a good beginning point. This section profiles six aspects of wellness and explores their benefits to staff and employers.

When it comes to working wellness into your workforce, you want someone who knows the ins and outs of wellness, and who can counsel workforce and provide primary care – all within the context of the current regulatory and legal environment.

AAOHN’s survey stated that more than half of personnel (61 percent) want to receive wellness information from a healthcare professional, such as a consultant or an onsite occupational health nurse (OHN), compared to brochures or brochures (18 percent) or HR staff (15 percent).

OHNs can develop, implement and evaluate components of work site health promotion programs such as screening programs, exercise/fitness courses, stress management, use of tobacco cessation, nutrition and weight control programs, as well as chronic condition management programs.

Plus, OHNs can help workforce navigate through complicated health care plans and might even serve as a triage point between workforce and their personal health care providers.

Staff Members might refrain from seeing their health care provider when it means time away from work, inconvenient parking, waiting time in the office and co-pays.

In situations where personnel are under treatment for chronic diseases like heart illness, onsite nurses can routinely monitor risk factors such as blood pressure (BP) or cholesterol on a regular basis.

It’s often easier for an staff member to ask an onsite nurse for information about signs or prescription medication than it is to schedule a follow-up visit to an individual health care provider.

Benefits realized by companys include enhanced employee morale and retention, a recruitment advantage, increased productivity and decreased time away from work.

In businesses with a safety department, the OHN can evaluate and address work-related health issues, including participation in workstation examinations to correct potential ergonomic problems, and proactively addressing muscle strains by developing stretching programs and involving workforce in leading stretches.