BY

wellnessalliancehawaii.com

Wellness Programs for Healthy and

Happy Employees

The concept of preventive health and wellness programs offered by Hawaii

healthcare organizations is not new. In recent years, however, there has

been an increased focus on these programs as our nation's healthcare

expenditure is expected to increase to 20 percent of the Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) by 2015, and as an emphasis on healthy lifestyles becomes

even more pertinent. President Obama himself has articulated a desire to

promote public health by requiring coverage of preventive services, like

cancer screenings, and even intends to create a new Small Business Health

Tax Credit to help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to

their employees.

These ideas are optimistic in our current economic outlook, and given the

waning confidence in the economy making a quick recovery, many small

businesses may be looking to modify their health insurance benefits for

employees, or are perhaps shopping around for a new policy. To those

organizations, a keen focus on the benefits of their policy is absolutely

necessary to maintain employee health and productivity, and improve their

own bottom line in the face of many hard challenges.

Small and large businesses alike are looking for health insurance providers

that can be their partners. They are looking for ways policy providers can

assist them in keeping employees healthy - because healthy employees are

productive employees. At the same time, businesses need reassurance that

For those small business - and that may be you - there is hope. A 2008 study

measuring the return on investment for employee wellness programs showed

that employers could save approximately $1.65 in healthcare expenses for

every dollar spent on a comprehensive employee wellness program. The study,

published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM),

found that reduced inpatient costs yielded the highest return on investment, in

part because of increased use of screenings and medications among

employees. This study emphasizes that when looking for a new healthcare

policy, small businesses should take a close look at the provider's wellness and

preventive programs.

Some of the best healthcare providers offer wellness programs like discounted

gym memberships, health education and awareness, counseling, flu prevention

and even programs to evaluate whether employees can reduce their medication

co-pays. Not only do these programs lead to healthier and more productive

workers, but they ensure that the company's most important asset - its

Once you've narrowed down your list to a few providers, take into account not

just their risk or premiums, but what value-added services they offer. Similar

to purchasing a new car, buyers should weigh how the dealer treats them

once they've bought the car and driven off the lot. Is the dealer responsive

and friendly? Do you call for weeks trying to schedule a maintenance check-

up and only reach a recording? Do they take care of your vehicle in a timely

and efficient manner? Employees in the same way need periodic "check-ups"

on their health to make sure they are performing to the best of their abilities,

and a responsive provider of healthcare in Hawaii will prove the most

valuable for them and the small business they work for.