In ancient China, it is said that a doctor was paid as long as his patient was well. When the patient became ill, the doctor was not paid, for he hadn't done his job. Wellness programs function as the ancient Chinese physician. It's the goal of wellness programs to show the path to a healthy lifestyle. Because most programs are offered by employers, it's up to the employee to make healthy choices as taught by the program and stay on the path. While not mandated, wellness programs are offered to employees--sometimes with incentives--such as monetary rewards for getting blood work done at a lab.
Wellness Program Options
From financial wellness to dealing with chronic illnesses, wellness programs are important enough that employers are willing to pay for them. They're usually free for employees. The employer can usually see an increase in productivity or decreased absences over a couple years after the program is up and running. Some programs offer to keep an employee on a healthy lifestyle track via personal coaching on a monthly or quarterly basis. Others, such as the Cleveland Clinic, offer numerous events throughout the year, such as the weekly "Walk with a Doc" at a mall, free jazzercise classes or a daily wellness tip sent via email. Smoking cessation support classes are a part of almost every wellness program.
Other wellness programs pay for an initial blood analysis to assess baseline indicators. This can point an employee in the direction of the need for medication from her doctor. The employee can be directed toward subsequent diet, exercise and behavioral changes that bring the abnormal values into the normal range.
A variation of "The Biggest Loser" TV show may be part of a wellness program. A weekly club at the place of employment may be formed to monitor weight loss while providing support and education about exercise and healthy diet.
Legal Changes
Employers are no longer able to inquire about family disease history or genetic factors in initial health risk assessments if the results are used for employee financial gain, whether in the form cash prizes or insurance discount. This is according to the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.
Uncle Sam's Wellness Program
Healthy People 2010 is the U.S. government's version of a wellness program. According to the website at http://healthypeople.gov, the leading health indicators are, among other factors, public health concerns that constitute the biggest health problems in the country. Goals are attached to each of these. The top ones are physical activity; overweight and obesity; tobacco use; substance abuse; and responsible sexual behavior.
Big Business
Wellness programs are big business. Websites offer the ability for corporations and businesses to compare various aspects, benefits and costs of programs. Everything from the specific benefits eventually realized by corporations with wellness programs to ways to track results are analyzed. Cornell University employs professors and specialists at its Institute for Health and Production Studies.
A Major Job Perk
Ultimately, wellness programs innately define the importance of health. Health affects every step of our lives. To keep well, this job perk just might be as important, if not more so, than health care insurance coverage--because by being healthy, you can avoid entering the costly, time-consuming and often painful world of chronic or acute disease medical care.
Member Comments