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Employee Wellness Programs That Work - Corporate Health Partners

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Employee Wellness Programs That Work - Corporate Health Partners

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXDZX6XGZPw

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http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/employee-wellness-programs-raise-privacy-concerns

Workplace wellness programs help rein in soaring costs of insurance premiums by giving incentives to adopt healthy behaviors. But the nation's largest consumer interest group for Americans over 50, AARP, says federal regulations on those programs could compromise privacy and make people vulnerable to discrimination. The organization is suing the government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. CBS News medical contributor Dr. David Agus joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss why he thinks health information and workplace decisions should be separate.

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The gaps in research that has been identified in the beginning stages of research associated with health care costs and wellness programs have been identified as; long-term data collection, return on investments (ROI), and how life style factors influence health care costs.  Many of the studies that has been collected and analyzed showed lack of long term data collection results due to the fact that roughly 50% of employees do not participate in wellness programs and do not consistently follow through with pre-screening and post-screenings.

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Due to budgetary woes, there is a renewed obligation to explore various ways to reduce district-wide expenditures and feel that research into health care cost reduction can produce large savings for school districts in Pennsylvania.  The research goal is to create a guide that can be implemented and followed by school districts to help reduce health care costs.  This guide will be developed based on research finds to ensure success with its implementation and will provide a reduction in health care costs.  In addition, the research based guide will provide a detailed wellness program that will provide guidance on how to implement and sustain a wellness program.  Ultimately, this research plan will be developed and implemented at the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District and with minimal changes will be able to be used at any school district upon completion of my doctorate studies.

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1) What steps does a school district need to take in order to implement a cost-saving approach to health care?

2) Does implementing a wellness program reduce health care costs?

3) Will implementing a wellness program improve the wellbeing of employees?

4) What is the best way to create, implement, and sustain a wellness program in a school district?

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Due to an increase in expenditures and decreased in revenue, school districts in Pennsylvania are trying to reduce expenditures in an attempt to maintain the same quality of education.  Since health care costs make up a large portion of the school district’s budget, this research will focus on the reduction of health care insurance costs and wellness programs.

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This research can be used to guide school districts on how to reduce health care costs. This can be done by utilizing a researched based cost savings approach to health care, which focuses on employee wellness.  When school districts engage in this type of two prong approach to health care, it is an increased chance of success.

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Health care insurance costs for school districts is on the rise for years and the revenue used to pay for these costs has been on the decline as well.  The increase in health care costs has prompted many districts to investigate cost-cutting approaches towards all aspects of the budget, especially health care costs.  Health care is one area that school districts have not thoroughly examined in the past in an effort to reduce costs.  By examining various health care options, my research will be focused on reducing health care insurance costs and creating, implementing, and sustaining a wellness program in school districts.

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Health care cost reduction and wellness programs will be the focus of this research.  The first part of the research will be to learn how to reduce health care costs.  The second is to learn about employee wellness programs, specifically in the areas of nutrition, exercise, emotional health, and prevention of chronic disease.  These two areas of research will provide needed data that will be used to help reduce cost at my school district and other school districts, in addition to learning how to implement the wellness program for district employees.  “The workplace is a setting where many U.S. adults spend the bulk of their time, and the workplace offers a ‘common purpose and culture’ that may increase the odds of participation in, and successful completion of, a wellness program” Goetzel & Ozminikowski  (2008, p. 29).  I feel that this type of research is needed in all organizations; health-related factors are directly linked to increased health care costs.

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Finding ways to reduce health care costs for school districts in addition to creating, implementing, and sustaining a wellness program.

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Name of Presenter
David McDeavitt

E-mail
david.brent.mcdeavitt@drexel.edu

Current Place of Employment
Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District

Title of Position
Superintendent

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Due to a decade long increase in expenditures and a decrease in funding, school districts in Pennsylvania are forced to find ways to reduce spending in an attempt to maintain the same quality of educational programming.  Health care costs make up a sizable portion of a school districts budget and is one item that can be managed.  This research will focus on identifying ways to reduce health care costs and on how to create, implement, and sustain a wellness program.

Health care costs can be controlled when employees properly utilize health care coverage.  This can be done by participating in regular screenings and being proactive with preventative health care options. This type of utilization occurs when medical plans are understood and purposefully utilized by all employees.  In addition, a properly managed wellness program has the capacity to enhance health care savings by creating a healthier lifestyle among the employees.

It is evident that more research is needed in health care and on creating, implementing, and sustaining a wellness program that can reduce costs and improve employee wellbeing and possibly productively.  Health care and the costs associated with it has been a ‘hot’ topic and an area in which all school districts are concerned about the rising costs due to the affordable health care act, lifestyle factors, and chronic disease.

Understanding health care costs and wellness programs are two essential components towards the reduction of health care costs.  These two areas of research will provide needed data to be used in creating a cost reduction plan to reduce health care costs for school districts.  The research will be used at the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District and with slight modifications can be used at other schools as well.

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David McDeavitt obtained a bachelor’s of science degree in health and physical education from Slippery Rock University and taught at a k-12 charter school for the first ten years of his career.  After obtaining proper certification from Gannon University he served five years as a junior/senior high school principal, and the went on to gain valuable experience serving as an elementary school principal, transportation director, and federal programs coordinator.  He has been a superintendent since the 2012-2013 school year.  These experiences have provided a valuable base of knowledge in identifying ways to reduce health care costs and to support a wellness program.

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Health Care Costs
The simplest and most sensible use of "health care costs" is in reference to the cost of production of health care services.

Wellness Programs
A program intended to improve and promote health and fitness that's usually offered through the work place, although insurance plans can offer them directly to their employees.

Lifestyle
The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture

Chronic Diseases
Chronic diseases and conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have long-lasting effects and costs and have prompted numerous health care reform efforts to target population health.

Social Health
Social health involves your ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others. It also relates to your ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations and act appropriately in a variety of settings.
Mental Health

Affordable Care Act
The comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010.

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"Back in 1970s, the United States looked a lot like other countries when it came to health care spending. In 1980, we spent $1,110 per person on health care, which worked out to about 9.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product. But in the 1980s, health-care costs in the United States began growing much faster than in other countries, rising to $9,810 per person in 2013. That amounts to a total of $2.74 Trillion spent on health care, or 17.9% of our total economy."
http://www.statisticbrain.com/health-insurance-cost-statistics/

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http://vocaroo.com/i/s1i31ehBc2gO