Managed Care - February 2008 - (Page 35) Wellness What’s the ROI on Wellness? A few major corporations, sometimes with the assistance of a traditional health plan, have made significant efforts to improve employee lifestyles in recent years share some common assumptions. Getting a workforce engaged in a wellness program takes time and patience, they say, particularly if employees are wary of what management has in very week, members of a missionary group mind for them. Their advice: Make sure your wellof registered nurses and health educators ness program looks like a benefit, avoiding even a fan out to 165 Hannaford Supermarkets, hint that there could be more stick than carrot inscattered across the country. And for a volved. Start off by aiming at big targets like weight short, focused break, on company time, moving and smoking. Top managers should set the pace mountains of merchandise takes a back seat for with their own personal involvement rather than Hannaford workers to all the aches and pains that look at their watch every time a nurse stops by. go with living and working. Journey beyond that common starting point, “It allows employees to think about themselves though, and you’ll find many of these programs and their health needs,” says Ellie Udeh, Hanbranching out into different directions as naford’s designated wellness chief. “‘Can they probe for new ways to improve the you look at this funny spot in my arm? health — and reduce the health care costs My child is running a fever, where can I Make sure the — of their workers. Some are adding chilturn? I was just diagnosed with diabetes; wellness program what questions should I ask on my next dren to the mix, hoping to get future appointment?’ Taking their blood presworkforces into shape or to keep their looks like a benefit, sure can lead to a talk about making a current workers’ minds on the job, rather avoiding even a hint lifestyle change. Or nurses can weave in than on a sick child at home. Others stay that there could be advice on their health risks if they’re focused on particular diseases. Incentives overweight or a smoker.” more stick than carrot range from the considerable to the incidental — from cash to product discounts For taking part, Hannaford’s workers involved. to key chains. And while some compaget a $20 discount off their health insurnies are well pleased with their results, so ance premiums for each weekly session, far there is little actual proof of a paya hefty $1,040 over the course of a year. back. “That’s a chunky enough carrot that it Their experiences, though, are helping to define gets them to commit when they do annual resuccess in a field that is drawing a widening band enrollment,” Udeh observes. of health plans and other health care players that see Aetna, which coordinates the nursing sessions as a big role for themselves, even as a leading accredwell as the annual health assessment that goes with itation agency takes aim at setting wellness industhe program, doesn’t stop there. The newly diagtry standards. To compete, insurers are going to nosed diabetic on the payroll can be enrolled in a have to understand that a whole new set of rules disease management program where new requirements could call for annual foot inspections and applies. other best practices for the chronically ill. Smokers are steered into programs that can help them quit. Lower medical costs And for 91 percent of the company’s workers, it’s Hannaford has frequently been touted as runbeen a bargain they can’t ignore. ning one of the best wellness programs in the country, one of a handful of platinum-award winners The corporate veterans that have joined Hanrecognized by the National Business Group on naford in setting up their own wellness programs By John Carroll Contributing Editor E FEBRUARY 2008 / MANAGED CARE 35
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