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Over the course of seven years, Quest Diagnostics has been tracking the results of employer-sponsored, lab-based wellness programs around the nation. The study produced by the Madison company demonstrated the value of programs outside of traditional health benefits, according to the study's authors.
The report, issued earlier this month, showed 36 percent of employees who participated for the first time in a lab-based wellness program learned of at least one new chronic condition. The programs, which were administered at or near workplaces, used a health and lifestyle questionnaire, biometric data and laboratory tests to determine the presence or risk of high cholesterol, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
"Empowering people with information really is power," said Dr. Harvey Kaufman, lead investigator and senior medical director for Quest. "It helps people to understand their own health and helps change their behavior and ultimately improve their health."
"For the employer, there are several benefits," Kaufman said. "One is you end up with healthier employees and, hopefully, that leads to lower health care costs and more productive employees. And secondarily, employees are more loyal, because they feel better about themselves and their employer."
Kaufman said employers that work to create a wellness culture, instead of just operating a program, are more likely to progress as they see a response from employees.
Sharon Seitzman, COO of QualCare Inc., said adding tools like biometric screenings and other wellness initiatives can serve as tools for employers to design the right benefit programs for their employees.
"It's a constant ongoing evaluation," Seitzman said. "You can really look at your population, what programs are successful and what programs are not successful ... You can tie that information back to your medical claims and pharmacy claims information and tying the two of those things together with the results of lab information is a powerful tool to design benefits that are more valuable to the organization."
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