Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/992084
111 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 2018 2018 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 111 HIGHLY TRAINED NURSE NAVIGATORS™ GUIDE LIFESTYLE CHANGES Data-based wellness programs are designed to ensure that all participants – from healthy to sick – are engaged in managing their health. Thus, the programs focus on both preventive measures and chronic disease management. Close collaboration between nurses and participants helps uncover what is deterring participants from taking their medications, adhering to their diet or otherwise changing unhealthy behaviors. Social determinants are uncovered and addressed. Achieving this goal requires Nurse Navigators. Nurse Navigators are credentialed and registered nurses with wide-ranging expertise, such as training in motivational interviewing and behavior modification, and certification as health coaches and case managers. Enrollees in traditional wellness programs who seek advice typically must interact with multiple specialists, such as a health coach, nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Participants in a Health Activation program, on the other hand, need only reach out to their Nurse Navigators. FOCUS ON EMERGING HEALTH RISKS TO LOWER COSTS AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY Health Activation focuses on early identification of health risks linked to possible or future chronic disease and addressing them before complex conditions emerge. PERSONALIZED AND TIMELY The dynamic nature of a Health Activation program enables Nurse Navigators to be far more proactive than is the case with traditional wellness programs. At many companies, traditional wellness programs are rolled out at the beginning of the year and participants are categorized into static risk groups. With Health Activation programs, however, new claims are continually being received, enabling the Nurse Navigators to reclassify participants from a lower risk to a higher risk cohort on an ongoing basis. This agility – the ability to intervene based on an individual's clinical changes at any given time – is a unique feature of these programs. CONCLUSION Motivating employees to adopt healthy change isn't easy. Many traditional wellness programs struggle to engage employees, which is a major obstacle to program success. Offering discounts to the local fitness center for completion of biometric screenings or health assessments, while of some value, is unlikely to lead to sustained healthy behaviors for your workforce. Evidence-based, innovative approaches such as Health Activation programs represent a major leap forward in employee wellness. Leveraging clinical data as their foundation, Health Activation combines education, counseling and targeted interventions to those most in need to ensure they feel confident in managing their health. Contact us to learn how we can help you take your employees' health to the next level so your business can thrive. 1 IBISWorld Industry Report. OD4621 Corporate Wellness Services in the US. February 2016. Accessed January 8, 2018 2 https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/pdf/2016/ aag-workplace-health.pdf 3 http://vbidcenter.org/v-bid-in-action-a-profile-of-connecticuts-health- enhancement-program-2/ • 4 of the 10 most costly health conditions for US employers— angina pectoris (chest pain), high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack—are related to heart disease and stroke. • Work-related stress is the leading workplace health problem and a major occupational health risk, ranking above physical inactivity and obesity. • Productivity losses from missed work cost employers $225.8 billion, or $1,685 per employee, each year. • Full-time workers who are overweight / obese and have other chronic health problems miss about 450 million more days of work each year than healthy workers, resulting in an estimated $153 billion + in lost productivity each year. • A 1% annual reduction in the level of four health risks— weight, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol—has been shown to save $83 to $103 annually in medical costs per person. 2 The high price of chronic conditions Preventable chronic conditions are a major contributor to the costs of insurance premiums and employee medical claims, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Karen Possidente-Leibiger Vice President Program Director 860-674-7054 KPLeibiger@CareManagementSolutions.com CONTACT US TODAY! COMPANY PROFILE