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Employers increasingly are realizing the value that worksite wellness programs deliver as an effective tool to improve employee health, increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and lower health care costs.

A 2003 report published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlighted how important it is for employers to incorporate health promotion as part of their business strategy. The report asserts that preventable diseases place a heavy toll on business, including lower productivity and higher health insurance costs.

The HHS estimates that $1.66 trillion was spent on health care in 2003. and it attributes a majority of those costs to chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and asthma. Sadly, the money allocated for preventing or controlling these conditions is negligible.

In a recent article, American Cancer Society CEO John Seffrin reported twothirds of cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented through lifestyle changes in diet, exercise, cancer screening and “especially” tobacco use. A well-designed worksite wellness program, provided by your health benefits company, serves the best interests of both employer and employee.

Bottom line return on investment
Ron Goetzel, a nationally recognized expert in the field of health management, data analysis and applied research, said in a recent interview that with an investment of $100 to $150 per employee per year in health promotion, an employer can expect an average return on investment of approximately $3 for every $1 invested ($300 to $450 savings per employee per year). Goetzel says, however, that these returns are not typically realized until two to three years into the wellness program.

Legislative incentives
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has been an outspoken proponent in seeking legislative solutions for a strained health care system. “As a nation, we have a ‘sick care’ system that is focused on helping people after they get sick, rather than a ‘health care’ system which focuses on keeping healthy people healthy,” he says. Harkin introduced the Healthy Lifestyle and Prevention (HeLP) America Act of 2004. One of the initiatives under Title II – Healthier Communities and Workplaces, provides tax credits to businesses that offer comprehensive programs to promote employee health and grants for small business.

Worksite wellness, getting started
Implementing a worksite wellness program with your health insurance carrier can be accomplished with simple, lowcost strategies.

Offer incentives for participation.
Create a wellness campaign.
Schedule seminars on nutrition, diabetes and cholesterol.
Establish programs such as fitness, sleep diary, smoking cessation and injury prevention.
Offer chair massages or simple stretching exercises to do at the desk.
Change vending machine options to offer healthier, low-fat snacks and drinks.
Work with a health insurance carrier that can implement, manage and maintain your program. Actively promote employee participation.

A successful worksite wellness program can boost company morale, enhance productivity, reduce organizational conflict, attract superior workers and lower the rate of employee turnover.

The case for establishing a worksite wellness program is well worth the effort.

As you review your goals for the new year, include engaging employees in their Florida health care decisions on your list. Educating employees on their part in medical care can lead to increased quality of life and productivity, and decreased sick leave and health care expense. Consider the impact of employee health empowerment in these terms: When an employee chooses to see a primary care provider or visits an urgent care facility instead of taking an unnecessary trip to the emergency room, it can save thousands of dollars in medical expenses. And early detection and prevention bring the priceless benefit of longer, healthier lives.

Use information resources

Health plans work hard to offer quality health care, but employees still play an important part in the process. Excellent employee resources include access to online information, on-site health fairs and case managers who help with serious medical conditions. These trained professionals can help people make educated decisions about seeking treatment. Supplying employees with a book covering basic health problems and distributing health information brochures also educates them. Inviting local doctors, nurses and health insurance representatives to put on presentations can further enhance employees’ access to health knowledge.

Choose a doctor

Employees’ first step to becoming more involved entails finding doctors who will work with them in caring for their health or letting their current doctors know they desire to actively participate in their treatment. Encourage employees to look for the following qualities in a primary care physician.

An attentive listener who wants to work with the patient
A clear communicator who explains the diagnosis in a helpful manner
Solid medical training and experience, including board certification
Accessible in terms of office hours, appointment availability, response to messages and hospital locations
Supply a thorough list of questions employees should consider when choosing a physician. Also, make sure they understand how to locate a physician within their health plan.

Evaluate the condition

Thorough self-evaluation before calling or seeing a doctor can help employees determine when to see a medical provider and make their visits most productive. Consider providing copies of a form or placing a document online that lists the questions asked at the beginning of every doctor visit.
What are your symptoms and when did they begin?
Is this the first time you have experienced this problem?
Do you have any idea why you might have this condition, including life changes or people around you having these symptoms?
Are you taking any medications?
Before and after going into the doctor, employees should try to research their condition. Asking the doctor for reference material, searching the Internet for reputable information and referring to employee health guides can help them develop a sense of what might be wrong and what treatments are available.

In learning about their conditions, patients actively participate in their health care.

Ask questions

While employees are at a visit, they should always feel comfortable asking questions. Make sure employees know to ask:
What tests, medicines and treatments are you recommending?
Why are these actions necessary?
Are there risks involved in these procedures, and are there alternatives?
What procedures do I need to follow when taking tests or medicines?
Do I need to call for results or to schedule another appointment?
Should I look for certain warning signs?
Patients have a right to know and understand what a doctor recommends. They also have the responsibility to learn about the choices available to them.

Encourage employees to ask questions and to make a record of their doctors’ answers. Patients should never feel pressured to make a quick decision. Depending on people’s medical history, values and preferences, they may choose a different alternative than the first option the doctor suggests.
Partnering in their health care enhances employees’ medical care and also plays a significant role in containing health care costs. Make employee health education one of your top goals for 2006 and contribute to a healthy, happy new year.

For most companies, open enrollment is a 30-day period in which employees have the opportunity to select their benefits for the next year.

Making an informed decision about which health plan to select is critical for employees, but it can be a little overwhelming, especially if there are several plans to choose from. To assist employees in their decision-making process, it may be helpful to hold a series of on-site open enrollment meetings. These meetings provide a forum for employees to meet with a representative from the health insurance carrier to discuss details about each available plan and ask questions.

The key to planning a successful open enrollment campaign is preparation, preparation, preparation. If you plan ahead and enlist assistance from your health benefits company, you can offer employees an educational campaign that will equip them with the information they need to select the best health plan for them.

So many choices

The first step is to determine the health benefits options that will be available. The plans that you offer to employees may change from year to year.

Prior to open enrollment, many employers revisit their health plan package to make sure they are getting the most for their company’s health benefits dollars.

Whether you select a new health insurance carrier or renew with your existing one, be sure to find a plan that packages core medical benefits with additional services designed to improve health and reduce costs. For instance, ask your health benefits company if it has a disease management program to help employees with chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Typically these programs provide employees with tools and instructions to help them monitor their health status and manage their disease to a point where health risks are as minimal as possible. Participation in disease management programs can also help employees avoid costly hospital admissions and reduce your bottom line.

Set the agenda

Once you have determined the health benefits plans that will be available to your employees, it is time to develop an agenda for open enrollment. An effective open enrollment campaign should do more than simply inform employees of their health benefits options; it should also educate them on how to get the most from their health benefits plan.

Open enrollment is a great time to inform employees about cost-effective options that are built into their health plan. These options can significantly reduce an employee’s out-of-pocket expenses, but often employees don’t know they exist. For instance, with many plans, receiving services from an urgent care center for a nonlife-threatening illness or injury (such as a minor cut, cold or insect bite) may be cheaper than receiving the same services at a hospital.

Open enrollment is also a good time to educate employees on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and make them aware of any worksite wellness programs. If the available health benefits plans feature discounts on fitness club memberships or complementary and alternative medicine therapies, be sure that this information is made available to employees.

Promotion, promotion, promotion

The final step to a successful campaign is to communicate the schedule of open enrollment meetings to your employees and encourage their participation. If your company has a newsletter, include the meeting schedule in it. E-mail is a good communication tool; you may also want to consider posting signs.

Open enrollment does not have to be a stressful time for you or your employees. With the proper planning and assistance from your health benefits company, you can conduct a successful campaign that educates employees so that they select a health plan that makes sense for their health care needs and budget.