Connected Health: Preventive health in the workplace

BOSTON—As healthcare costs rise for employees and employers alike, businesses are finding new ways to engage patients in the workplace, according to the panelists of an Oct. 26 presentation at the ninth annual Connected Health Symposium.

“We looked at healthcare costs back in 2002 and recognized double-digit increases were not sustainable for either the employer or the employee,” said Delia Vetter, senior director of benefits at EMC. “We thought about different ways to create a consumer-centric environment.”

Creating a health-conscious, patient-centered workplace can be a difficult undertaking. Different employees can have very different healthcare needs. Employees also are increasingly working remotely, away from physical spaces where they might join lunchtime stretching routines and other group programs. For employees committing 40 to 60 hours a week to work while still juggling personal responsibilities, finding the time may seem impossible.

To address some of these issues, EMC implemented an online patient health portal that automatically records patient interactions with providers, as well as information on prescription drugs, diagnoses and healthcare costs for both patient and payer. Accenture implemented a similar online tool for its employees, so they could view their health information from their workplace, home or an airport, according to Julie Wilkes, North American health wellness lead for Accenture.

When Textron Systems started looking into its employees’ health, the company realized that only one in five employees were taking advantage of a free annual exam. “They didn’t even know what their risks were,” said Robin McGrath, director of human resource operations. “We needed a new strategy focused on changing behavior. We knew we needed to do something different.”

Textron partnered with a company offering risk assessment services, but rather than the traditional questionnaire containing 50 items, the risk assessment they offered was performed online and asked about 10 questions related to health goals and reminded users of their progress toward those goals. It has been effective during a pilot phase, according to McGrath.

Wellness programs can’t simply rely on fun online tools to keep patients engaged, however. “Benefit design becomes a key factor alongside tools in creating the right incentives, whether a carrot or a stick, to get patients interested and to keep at it,” according to Michael Yetter, director of ebusiness and consumer capabilities at Independence Blue Cross.

Additionally, employers shouldn’t think of wellness programs solely as a way to keep their healthcare costs down. These programs are becoming increasingly attractive to employees who also have to deal with rising costs and they can be a good way to attract talent. “Employers want to be competitive and attract the best talent. Offering wellness management and health engagement is a factor in the labor economics marketplace,” Yetter said.

“Wellness programs used to be nice to have,” Wilkes said. “But they’re becoming must have.”