Posted in: AugustMedical Self-Care Tools Improve Health and Reduce Health Care Costs
While much of the wellness industry’s attention is focused on the benefits of high-tech data integration, one of Total Well-Being’s clients has rediscovered the tremendous value of a simple, low-cost way to address health care spending within its workforce
Through an integrated wellness program focused on empowering associates, this company uses a print medical self-care guide to provide practical help for everyday health problems. The company, which provides a full range of education planning and financing products and services to schools and consumers nationwide, evaluated its self-care strategy in late 2008 and uncovered some encouraging results (included below). Its self-care initiative has shown favorable outcomes in each of the last three years and continues to be a significant factor in helping the company reach its health and productivity goals.
The client's goals include:
- Decreasing the percentage of individuals identified as high-risk by 1% each year (as indicated by an annual health assessment)
- Empowering associates and their families to can make sound health care decisions by providing medically approved self-care information and resources
Key implementation strategies used by this client include:
Robust communication: Frequent and highly visible messages communicate the availability and benefits of self-care resources available to associates and their families.
Distribution of Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth Guide to Self-Care and other communications: In addition to receiving a comprehensive family medical guide, all 2,200 associates are also mailed a quarterly newsletter at home with seasonally appropriate, informative, and helpful articles encouraging associates to develop the healthiest lifestyle habits possible.
Effective self-care training program: Interactive online training, quizzes, and surveys are offered regularly to all associates.
Points-based incentive strategy: Associates earn points throughout the year toward an overall incentive for participating in the company’s self-care initiative.
Tracking of key indicators: The company evaluates the impact of the self-care initiative by analyzing three common utilization measures: emergency room visits, urgent care visits, and preventive health visits. Since beginning the self-care program, the company has achieved the following in these three areas:- 3.4% reduction in urgent care visits
- 5.5% reduction in emergency room visits
- 14.5% increase in preventive health office visits
Leadership support: Leaders within the organization regularly and visibly participate in activities and openly encourage associates to participate.
Results prove value of medical self-care
- 86% of associates participating in the self-care initiative said they used the Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth Guide to Self-Care within the first six months
- 34% indicated that the guide helped them avoid an unnecessary office visit
- 55% indicated that they were better prepared for an office visit
- �74% reported that the Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth Guide to Self-Care increased their knowledge of health issues and health problems
Call Total Well-Being today to find out how your company can improve employee health and reduce health care costs. If one client was able to achieve these results, so can your organization.
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