Mississippi Medical News, Jan 06, 2016, by Dinesh Sheth
Current wellness programs have two primary, interrelated goals: to save employers’ money and to keep employees and their families healthy. These programs have matured over time and are very similar to each other.
For employers, having something in place is better than having nothing. While today’s programs have made some progress in terms of participation, there is still an opportunity to increase employee engagement and improve the overall results. Wellness programs focus on early detection through testing for medical conditions, as well as behavioral changes to improve health. To change behaviors, promote healthier lifestyles and facilitate more effective management of medical conditions, we need to change the existing wellness model from one of open-ended occasional contact with a wellness coordinator to a closed-loop feedback system that hinges on constant collaborative feedback and ongoing remote monitoring between employees and their families. The resulting ROI from this new approach to wellness programs would be an order of magnitude better than current levels, which are hovering between $1 and $3 for every dollar invested (depending on who you ask).
Read more at http://www.mississippimedicalnews.com/business/article/20359506/wellness-programs-beginning-to-pay-off