1. Employers may require that employees pass biometric screenings to receive discounts on their health insurance premiums. Those who don’t meet the necessary biometric levels would have to enroll in a wellness program and after achieving a healthy body mass index and other biometric numbers, would then be eligible for the discounts.

2. More employers may use the services of a health care advisor to teach employees how to make better treatment choices, find quality providers and make better use of their employers’ health management programs, thereby reducing health care costs.

3.Employers may begin to  use social media to reinforce healthy behaviors, such as  losing weight, exercising more and  becoming healthier.

4.In spite of the economic downturn, one-third of employers plan to increase their  spending on wellness programs  in order to reduce overall premium expenditures.

Our President, Gary Whiddon is well workplace certified from Welcoa University.  He would be happy to assist in the implementation of any employer wellness program.  Please call him at (888) 474-6627 x 116, or email him at gary@hpo.biz

Happy Holidays to everyone.  May you and your family enjoy the best in 2012!!

In order to avoid the naughty list this season and possibly fit down the chimney, here are a few suggestions to avoid the tempting treats of the holidays:

1. Avoid all the candy, cakes and sweets that you may be sent.  instead, sample from the fruit basket or have a handful of almonds.

2. Limit the fattening meats and gravies on your holiday plate.  Why not have more vegetables instead?

3. Get up and move!  It is so hard to want to be outdoors in cold winter weather.  If you cant go outside, why not try a few laps around the office hallway or a few sit-ups at lunchtime?

4. Bring a healthy entree or salad to the next pot luck.  Your will be surprised how many people will really want to have something healthy as an alternative to all the heavy and fattening treats of the season.

5. When baking or cooking, try low fat or sugar alternatives such as Splenda or apple sauce instead of sugar or margarine instead of butter.

6. Try to de-stress and not expect so much of yourself.  It is so easy to fall off the healthy eating wagon when under stress.  Try yoga, walking or calling a friend instead of that cookie.

7. Don’t wait for a New Years resolution, don’t even make them! Just try your best to maintain a healthy diet and exercise program.  Even if you slip and don’t work out for a while or gobble down junk food during the season or the year, its important to try again.  Better to not maintain for two weeks than two years, right?

“Child obesity is impacting employers today and will into the future as these children become the workforce of tomorrow,” says Helen Darling, president and CEO of NBGH, whose members include 329 large U.S. employers. “Parents have an enormous impact on the childhood obesity epidemic. The good news is that employers can play a critical role in fighting the childhood obesity epidemic by helping families develop healthy lifestyles at work and in the home”.

A recent survey of 83 of the nation’s largest companies conducted by the National Business Group on Health identifies the following programs employers currenlty have in place to help fight childhood obesity:

- One third of employers (33%) offer online weight management tools to children.

- More than one in four employers (28%) offer telephonic or online coaching for weight management to children

Beyond promoting healthy lifestyles in the home, employers will soon face a growing demand for obesity treatment in children.

“With the new guidelines for screening under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many more children nationally will be identified as overweight or obese,” says LuAnn Heinen, vice president and director of NBGH’s Institute on Innovation in Workforce Well-being. “Employers can provide tools and resources to support and empower employees and work with health plans and community resources to develop and promote new approaches to childhood obesity prevention and treatment.”

Employer toolkit expanded

NBGH also announced that it has updated its employer toolkit, “Childhood Obesity:  It’s Everyone’s Business,” to include examples of family-focused wellness programs that four forward-thinking companies are doing to fight childhood obesity. The toolkit also includes a new section on how employers can design their benefit programs to ensure that they are in accordance with new screening guidelines required by PPACA and support obesitytreatment options for children.

The employer toolkit was developed and updated with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. It’s available free of charge and can be found at www.businessgrouphealth.org.

Gary Whiddon is a wellness consultant affiliated with WELCOA university and can assist you in forming a wellness program for your employees.  Please contact him at (888) 474-6627 for information on setting up a prgram for your employees.

Authorized under provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, these guidelines, developed by a committee of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, expand the previous list of preventive services that must be covered without charging a copayment, coinsurance or a deductible to include:

• Well-woman visits
• Screening for gestational diabetes for all pregnant women
• Human papillomavirus DNA testing for all women 30 years and older
• Annual sexually transmitted infection counseling for all sexually active women
• Annual counseling and screening for HIV for all sexually active women
• FDA-approved contraception methods, sterilization procedures and contraceptive counseling
• Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling, including costs for renting breastfeeding equipment
• Domestic violence screening and counseling

New health plans and non-grandfathered plans and issuers are required to provide coverage consistent with these guidelines in the first plan year (in the individual market, policy year) that begins on or after August 1, 2012.  It is possible that your current health plan covers these services now, but may have a copay or co-insurance percentage.

1. Bumps on the head- every new walking toddler (or those that are already walking or running) hit their heads and get a few bumps and bruises during the early years. If your child gets right back up after the impact and stops crying after some serious soothing, an ice pack and some TLC is probably all she needs. Go to the ERor call 911 if your child loses consciousness or has an indentation in her head for emergency medical attention.

2. Mouth injuries – Why do all parents panic over mouth injuries?  The mouth is rich in blood vessels, so cuts and scrapes bleed a lot (and it’s often hard to see where all that blood is coming from at first). Applying ice, having her suck on an ice pop or  drink some cold water will soothe and stop bleeding.  Go to the ER when there is a gaping wound or a cut that won’t stop bleeding after you’ve applied ice is a true emergency.

3. Fever – Most fevers, even high ones, are just a sign that your toddler is fighting off an infection, but many parents worry that a fever signals something worse.  The American Academy of Pediatrics says Moms and Dads need to make a feverish tot comfortable, instead of trying to bring the temperature down to normal. Don’t be alarmed if that pain reliever doesn’t bring down her temperature right away. Instead, keep giving your little one plenty of fluids (and hugs) and check in with your pediatrician.  Go to the Pediatrician when your child has a fever higher than 102.2°F or has had a fever for more than 24 hours (for a child younger than two) or 72 hours (for kids two and older). Go to the ER if your child’s fever is 102.2°F and she has a stiff neck, can’t stop crying or vomiting, is so lethargic it’s difficult to wake her up, or has a blue tongue or blue lips or nails (which means she’s not getting enough oxygen). Also go to the ER when a baby under three months has a fever of 100.4°F.

4. Vomiting-  Persistent vomiting is another common reason parents head to the ER. But vomiting is usually caused by a stomach bug or infection and isn’t serious in and of itself. A bigger danger is dehydration, so be sure to offer your tot extra fluids (or Pedialyte), even if she just takes a sip at a time, as well as liquid-based foods like soups, fruits, and fruit pops. Most stomach bugs that cause vomiting last only 24 hours, so if your child is throwing up for more than a full day, call your Doctor. Call the pediatrician or go to the ER if there are signs of dehydration, such as : dry mouth, lack of tears, and dry diapers (or not much pee in the potty). Call your doctor or 911 if your child is vomiting after she’s hit her head, or is throwing up greenish fluid, blood, or what looks like coffee grounds (blood mixed with stomach acid).

5. Skin Rashes – Most rashes are not dangerous.  Some are caused by allergies, while others are symptoms of viruses like fifth disease. It is recommended that your pediatrician  check out a nasty or weird-looking rash, most rahses are not a cause for alarm.  Go to the ER if your tot breaks out in a rash and has trouble breathing at the same time. Another rash that warrants an emergency room visit and a call to the doctor is petechiae, which is flat purplish dots caused by broken blood vessels that are usually a sign of a serious infection or bleeding problem.

Please always remember that there may be increased charges on your insurance coverage for emergency room visits.  Please consult your plan booklet for information regarding the benefits available.

1. ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND WORK COLLEGUES WHO THEY SEE FOR MEDICAL CARE.  Your firends and work associates will often be the most honest, as they do not stand to gain from any recommendation, and will often care enough about your welfare to be honest about any faults or issues the provider may have.

2. ASK YOUR CURRENT PHYSICIAN.  This works best if you need a specialist, or if you ar transitioning a child from a pediatrician to an internist or GP.  Doctors usually know the scuttlebutt on who is the best in their fields.

3. CONTACT A TEACHING HOSPITAL.  As with #2 above, they usually know who is a good physician.

4. USE THE INTERNET.  There are many websites devoted to physician reviews, such as ratemds.com and vitals.com.  Keep in mind that most people comment on these sites when they are dissatisfied with a provider, and not to commend one.  It would be good to know if there are many complaints, so you can avoid this doctor.

5. CONTACT AN ADVOCACY GROUP.  Organizations such as The American Cancer Society will be able to advise who is the best in their field, as they work closely with physicians and are on top of the latest research and advancements.

6. DO A BACKGROUND CHECK.  Contact the Federation of State Medical Boards at fsmb.org  for information on licensing and complain history.  Also check out the American Board of Medical Specialties at abms. org to check board certification status.

7. GO WITH YOUR GUT. Since you may be spending a lot of time with this person, you have to feel that you are a team and that you can work together.  You know who you feel a kinship with, and who you dislike.  If you don’t like the doctor, don’t use him/or her as your provider!  Can you imagine being sick and vulnerable, having your health and future in the care of someone you don’t like?

Of course, any doctor you choose doesnt have to be your provider for the rest of your life.  As your needs change you may also want to reconsider your choices.  Do not be afraid to change doctors.  As in life, not every relationship is meant to be permanent.  If you were meant to stay with the same doctor all of your life, there would be many elderly patients at the pediatrician’s office. 

They looked at various optios to assist their employees, including weight loss management programs but decided to put a process together themselves, spearheaded by Management.  A a top-down approach is the key to success of any wellness program offered by organizations, but particularly for smaller companies the size of KimStaffHR, which has about 25 employees. ”

Their program was inspired by the  book: “ICount: 10 Simple Ways to a Healthy Lifestyle,” authored by Susan Parks and Patricia Bonavia. “ICount” argues that the failure to engage in an active lifestyle can result in a huge hit to organizations across the country in terms of health-related costs, lost productivity and employee attrition.  The premise of the book is that even with busy schedules and hectic lives, individuals can still engage in simple activities that will lead to a stronger mental and physical condition.

KimStaffHR used the apprach that walking would fit into the lives of their busy employees and would lead to health and wellness. They did not require any of its employees to take part in the program, recognizing that some might not feel comfortable.  They introduced the idea to their workforce and supported those who expressed interest. Weekly meetings were held to focus on not just weight loss alone, but on how employees could incorporate more movement into their day.  With the goal to march 10,000 steps daily, employees walked at home, at work and all points in between. The company recognized that it needed to incorporate this new wellness routine into the workday. To accomplish this, meetings are now held outside, with workers walking while discussing items that normally would be handled in a conference room setting. During the winter months, the halls of the office became the walking grounds, as the employees refused to let weather interrupt their wellness efforts.  Some workers tracked their progress with pedometers and walked with their families, fostering a healthy lifestyle in the home as well. And with members of employees’ families likely participating on the health plans of KimStaffHR employees, the cost savings from reduced health care claims can multiply time and again.

There has been significant weight loss noted, but their workforce has benefited from becoming a more cohesive healthier unit as a result of their program.

Though its wellness-by-walking program still is in the early stages, KimStaffHR is convinced the benefits of the simple, yet diligent, work of their employees will pay off in its own health care costs. For example, chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure are coming under control, and execs ultimately believe the program will lead to less office visits and medication needs.

“One of the key points is that you have don’t have to spend tons of money to start a program like this. We have a lot of clients, and we have to walk the walk, literally.” The enthusiasm has also spread to other businesses that surround KimStaff in its business complex. Seeing many of the same faces walking outside day after day has inspired other organizations to take the same steps toward physical and mental fitness. And employees have connected on social sites, such as Facebook, to build a community supportive of their goals and one another. “We’ve built a culture here, and it’s recognized here,” Dillard says. “It helps to build self-esteem. Our personalities are positive, and it goes from the top down. Walking is the easiest thing to do, there is no excuse. If people stay committed to it, this will change their lifestyle. It did not cost us money and was a simple, but effective change in the workplace.”

For more information or ideas on on wellness programs, contact Gary Whiddon at 888-474-6627 ext. 116.

WELCOA , the Wellness Council of America, is one of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations in workplace wellness, and provides resources to more than 4,000 member companies.  Located in Omaha, Nebraska, WELCOA has been in operation for more than 25 years.

 Congratulations Gary!

Remember that 70% of health claims are “lifestyle driven”, so firms that establish “results-oriented” wellness plans that provide employees financial incentives for results, means thousands saved in lower health claims and improved on the job productivity.

Kalamazoo County wellness success holds premium increases to zero 

As wellness incentives are now part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, this is a trend that should continue to gain attention.  According to a survey from the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments, many employers have implemented these programs without first developing an integrated strategy that clearly outlines targets and goals.

The survey revealed three key findings:

1. Employers are investing in numerous health improvement programs.

2. Few employers set measurable goals or are able to calculate the return on their investment in these programs.

3. Employers underestimate the investments they make in health improvement programs.

The survey shows that employers have invested in an average of 21 different health improvement programs, administered by several different vendors.  Programs include disease prevention, lifestyle change, condition management and educational campaigns.

Employers are spending roughly the same on programs that help maintain and improve health, such as prevention and lifestyle efforts, as on programs that help manage health after onset of an illness or disease.

The challenge for employers is determining what the right mix of spending is. For example, a strategy focusing on condition management is logical if an employer has a large population that has particular chronic diseases or illnesses.  However, if the employer’s workforce is relatively healthy, then focusing more heavily on lifestyle modifications might be a wiser investment, considering the impact that likely lifestyle changes could have on the health of the workforce as it ages.

Measure The Program Goals

In the study 35% of employers indicated they have measurable goals and/or targets. As a result, few employers know the return on their investment across all their health programs, and many (42%) rely on a collection of vendor assessments to measure success.  As a result, it is difficult for employers to assess the success of their program.  Employers should consider determining the outcomes that they want before they decide on the programs. Knowing your intended focus should help to determine which types of programs you should implement.

Employers should include common sense metrics, such as number of health screenings, adherence to medications for chronic conditions or percentage of the population that is tobacco-free.  If you have a population with a high prevalence of a particular disease such as asthma, focusing on decreased emergency room visits among a constant population in the program is a logical program choice.

Track Your Investment

Accurately tracking the investment in health improvement is perhaps an employers greatest challenge, since many programs are often bundled with other services. The study quantifies the employer investment in health improvement, based on employer responses about which programs they offered and market data on the cost of these programs.

It is estimated that employers spend an average of 1.8% of medical claims on health improvement programs. These investments were consistent across companies of different sizes.

The 1.8% estimate represents the average level of investment that employers are currently making. However, the level and focus of investment that is right for one employer may not be appropriate for another employer, and individual company characteristics should be considered when deciding how to invest.

Investing in employee health has the potential to reap substantial benefits for employers, but there are numerous challenges – including coordination of multiple programs, communication to engage people in the program, and development of measurable outcomes and accurate financial calculations – that must be addressed before the best outcomes can be realized.

Employers who are able to identify desired outcomes, and implement strategies and programs to achieve these outcomes, will ultimately be the ones that see improvement in their workforce’s health profiles.

For additional information about implementation of Wellness Programs, please contact Gary Whiddon at (888) 474-6627 or at gary@hpo.biz.   Mr. Whiddon has received his well workplace certification from WELCOA (Wellness Council of America), and can assist you with any questions you may have.

Hello Amigos!  I have just returned from an eight day cruise on the Mexican Riviera.  Before you get too jealous, let me tell you I returned with a horrible case of the flu.   Feel better now?      

While on a bus tour of Mazatlan, our driver, Carlos, was speaking about many of the buidings we saw on our drive.  He mentioned the private hospital and the public hospital.  I already knew that  Mexico has socialized medical care for its citizens.  I asked Carlos why there were two hospitals and what were the differences.  He explained that the private hospital was for those people who could not wait at least a week for care or needed a greater level of medical care.  The public hospital was for “everyone else”.  Naturally, there were costs associated with using the private hospital.   

I found this really interesting.  I have Canadian relatives who do come here for medical care, since they do not want to wait for care under the Canadian system.  I have never heard about a private versus public hospital system in Mexico.  I have since done some research on this and have found that there are a few levels of care available to Mexican citizens based on their employment status.  While the quality of care on Mexico has improved greatly in the past 40 years, it still lags behind the care provided in the United States.  For those citizens who can afford the best care and those who want control over the care they receive, the private hospitals are an option.

So what did I learn on my winter vacation?  That there is no place like home.  They may have better weather and margaritas in mexico, but we still have a better health care system.  Yes there is still a long way we have to go in regards to our insurance and health care systems, but we are still better off  in this country than our neighbors to the South.  Viva USA!!

Having completed Level 1 and Level 2 training,  I plan on completing the last Level 3 courses before the end of the year.

As health insurance costs continue to rise, employers will place more emphasis on controlling future costs through wellness.  Moreover, in 2011 our government will be providing eligible firms “wellness grants” to promote wellness in the workplace.  This means that employers will look to find capable individuasl to help them build and monitor an ongoing wellness program.  A “results oriented” program instead of a “passive join 24 hour fitness if you want”.

Low participation does little to change health care costs, so employers must provide “financial incentives” to employees who reach their goals.  Employees will not be forced into a wellness program, but financially encouraged.  Since healthy lifestyles to not change overnight, employees will have to be educated  on an ongoing basis about diet, exercise, stress, smoking, obesity, plus benchmark their current way of life to show measurable lifestyle changes from participating in a wellness program.

Healthier employees do reduce health claims, workers’ comp claims, and sick days.  What about offering time off for “health days”, instead of “sick days”?  Get involved with wellness with me!

Below are some ideas to help you work with your employees in creating a plan to help them WANT to adopt a healthier lifestyle.:

1. Create a sense of urgency. This is really the best way to start any program for change.  If you forcast your own company’s health care costs for the next 10 years using current trends, including the additional cost of complying with the health care reform., this will definitely show you that this is a program that shouldn’t be excluded.

2. Set up a guiding coalition.  In order for a wellness program to be successful, the management and leadership of the Company MUST believe in the benefits of a wellness program for all employees.

3. Develop a vision and strategy. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish and how you plan to initiate change.  A few samples questions are below:

* How have your employees’ behaviors changed?

* What foods are being offered in the canteen and in nearby restaurants?

* Are coworkers meeting over lunch to exercise?

* How has the changed work environment impacted you personally?

* Do you more effectively manage your own biometric values?

* How do employees use the benefits provided by the company and where do they find the best medical service at the lowest cost?

* Who is in charge of your health and well-being now?

4. Let your employees know what you want to change. Now that you know what you want to accomplish, let your employees know too!  Remember, nothing can be changed without awareness and cooperation.

5. Take action. Remove the barriers in place in order to start the process.  Look at the long range picture and gaols.  For example, there may be costs associated with promoting a healthier lifestyle, such as higher costs for healthier food in the vending machines, or the charges from a fitness trainer.  Ultimately, these costs will be less than they costs assicated with inactivity and obesity.

6. Look for gains but know that this may take time.  Creating a healthier lifestyle and seeing the results may take time.  There may be some measurable short term goals that you can find and promote in order to retain the momentum.  For example, can you track weekly weight loss?

8. Keep Going! Long-term success can only be accomplished if you continue to work on maintaining the successes you have achieved. 

A true measure of the creation of a culture of health is when the majority of the workforce is maintaining healthy lifestyle choices even in the absence of any company initiatives or incentives.

Adopting a healthier lifestyle benefits everyone in the workplace.  Employees are in better health, feel happier and are more productive.  As an employer you will benefit from the increase in productivity and the decrease in medical plan and Workers’ Compensation plan costs.  This truly is a benefit plan where EVERYONE benefits!

What does that have to do with overall physical health? Plenty.

Eye exams play a crucial role in supporting overall health because the eyes provide the only non-invasive and clear view of blood vessels without puncturing skin.  

Because optometrists can (and do) look at blood vessels during an eye exam, they can help identify symptoms of – and manage – a variety of conditions that might not otherwise be detected until there are other symptoms.

In particular, an eye doctor can detect signs of more than 30 chronic diseases by seeing changes in blood vessels, as well as representative brain cells in the optic nerve.

By examining the eyes, an optometrist can often detect symptoms of chronic conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. Indeed, in some cases, an eye exam can lead to the detection of a diabetic condition up to seven years sooner than with standard testing.

Like many, you may be wondering what impact the recently passed health care legislation will have on wellness promotion. In this exclusive interview, WELCOA President Dr. David Hunnicutt sits down with   Dr. Michael O’Donnell to discuss this issue.  Dr. O’Donnell covers the short and long-term benefits of the legislation as well as what health promotion practitioners and business leaders can do to prepare for the upcoming changes.

To access your copy at no charge, simply visit this WELCOA link.

Future health care costs are affected by today’s lifestyle.  Since I have felt a responsibility to my clients, I realized the need to become a Wellness Facilitator during the next decade of my work.  Adopting “result oriented” wellness progarms will be recognized as a productive way to reduce future health insurance costs.

To truly help employers, I felt the need to learn as much as possible about implementing and managing workplace wellness.  WELCOA University provides three levels of  wellness certification, and is recognized as the place for wellness education.  Level 1 is now completed and I am pursuing Level 2.  If you have any questions about wellness or would like to set up a wellness program for your firm, please call me at (888) 474-6627 x116.

In a study conducted by StayWell Health Management, a health promotion vendor, employee participants who completed a telephone-based health coaching program lost an average of 3 pounds, compared to 1 pound for those who did not complete the program.  Additionally, employees who followed the advice offered in the health coaching program were more likely to improve their overall eating habits and their physical activity levels.

In the study, the company examined the benefits of long-term weight management versus short-term weight loss. The final study sample size included 1,298 participants from 10 different employers and focused on clients who offered programs between 2004 and 2006.

Health experts believe that individuals who want to lose weight should focus on a lifetime goal of healthy eating and exercising and not on weight-loss challenges and programs aimed at dropping pounds over a short period.  Even a small amount of weight loss can contribute to an improvement in health, such as lower blood pressure and decrease in wear on knees and back.

StayWell points to hardware store giant Lowe’s Home Improvement as an example of how a health coaching program can promote weight manangement.

The company, which employs about 240,000 workers, rolled out a health coaching program that offered phone-based, mail-based coaching or a six-week interactive program to help workers identify and change unhealthy behaviors.  A total of 3,461 pounds was lost by participants with an average weight loss of 9.25 pounds per person; and the average body mass index among all participants decreased from 35.3 kg/m2 at pre-assessment to 33.9 kg/m2 at post-assessment; a decrease of 3.9%.

The recent Health Care Reform legislation offers a financial incentive of 30-50% off premium costs to employees for participation in approved wellness programs beginning in 2014.