As health care costs continue to skyrocket, businesses are looking for ways to curb those costs and the associated loss of productivity. Early detection of health conditions is one of the best ways to address these issues. The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plan’s (IFEBP’s) Workplace Wellness Trends 2017 Survey of more than 500 employers identified the top most significant diseases and conditions affecting their employees. Here is an overview of the most prevalent and costliest conditions that biometric screening can help discover to reduce associated costs.
- Cardiovascular disease costs the United States more than $329 billion each year, more than any other health condition. This includes $199 billion in direct medical costs and $130 billion in indirect costs, including productivity loss from premature mortality. Biomedical screening can detect many of the early signs and help inform employees of their current risk so they can take measures to address them.
- Hypertension or high blood pressure is an easily determined indicator of overall heart health. High blood pressure can lead to kidney disease and be a cause of stroke.
- Cholesterol and lipid levels are a good reflection of a body’s arterial health. A cholesterol/lipid screening can detect problems, and subsequent education about low-fat diets can help employees to reduce this major contributor to heart disease.
- Obesity is estimated to cost employers $147 billion. Employees know when their weight is a problem, but hearing it from a biometric screening company and the educators available can mean the difference in taking steps to remedy the problem.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) is another indicator for risk of heart disease. It takes just a moment to measure, but that measurement can make employees aware of what their diet is doing to their health.
- Smoking remains a major health concern for businesses, not only causing heart and lung disease for the smokers but also contributing to allergies and pulmonary irritation in non-smokers. Impact Health uses a cotinine test to identify nicotine in an individual’s blood or saliva.
- Diabetes has become an epidemic in the U.S., and it’s a major concern for businesses. We perform blood glucose as well as HbA1c testing to not only detect diabetes but also monitor how well it is being controlled.
The payoffs of a corporate wellness program
Implementing a wellness program for your business is a major investment. However, you need to consider not just the return on investment (ROI) but also the value of investment (VOI). There is considerable value to a healthier workforce that extends beyond lower medical costs. VOI measures the effect that a wellness program has on employees through increased productivity, lower absenteeism, and higher employee morale and job satisfaction.
Understanding the health of your employees and engaging them in taking control of their own well-being is the goal of any wellness program. An employer wellness program should start with a biometric screening. Impact Health’s screening services can provide the foundation your company needs to get started.
To learn more about successfully implementing a biometric screening program, reach out to me here on LinkedIn or email me at: [email protected]
