Category: Wellness In The Workplace

30 Apr

KC Health Care Leaders To Businesses: “Be Prepared For The Future”…By Jacob Wayman

Written by Jean Hansen 0 Comments

Jacob WaymanPost written by Jacob Wayman, Project Manager, Corporate Medicine & Wellness Division, KCIM

I recently had the opportunity to listen to a few of Kansas City’s top health care leaders at an area event and they had one clear message for area business leaders:

“Be prepared for the future.”

With many changes quickly approaching, the Affordable Care Act should be seen as an opportunity for change and a way to diversify yourself from your competition.

Our population is getting unhealthier by the minute and the cost of health care is increasing by the second. We need to take action.

Organizational leaders need to first acknowledge that many of their employees are unhealthy and that maintaining the status quo is a death sentence to the company and, most importantly, to their employees.

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27 Feb

Improving the Health of Kansas City Employees…By Jacob Wayman, Corporate Medicine and Wellness

Written by Lori Mallory 1 Comment

Jacob WaymanPost written by Jacob Wayman, Project Manager, Corporate Medicine & Wellness Division, KCIM

As the area’s leading provider of adult primary care, Kansas City Internal Medicine (KCIM) has been proud to serve the Kansas City community for over 32 years. Through our innovative focus and the expertise of over 50 medical providers, we continue to be at the forefront of delivering excellence to our community.

Taking Our Expertise and Experience to the Workplace
With the addition of our Employer and Corporate Medicine services, we are taking our expertise and experience to the workplace through delivering personalized wellness programs. Being one of the first medical practices in Kansas City to step into the corporate medicine arena, we bring a unique approach and can offer a wide variety of services to local organizations that are not currently available.

While many organizations may already be on their way to implementing wellness within their workplace, KCIM’s goal is to understand their wellness initiatives and determine where we may be able to provide our knowledge and skill. By partnering with an organization, we can better determine where an employer can capitalize on the many resources KCIM provides on-site.

Building Wellness Initiatives and Strategies
Through our comprehensive and personalized approach, KCIM provides each organization with the resources needed to improve the health of their employees. Essentially, our goal is to assist an organization in building their wellness initiatives and determining what services best fit their culture, mission, goals, and needs.

With the knowledge of KCIM’s dedicated medical providers, we are prepared to offer services on-site and customize them based on each organization’s goals and needs. Our initial approach is to analyze an organization’s current Health Risk Assessment/Biometric Screening results to better determine the baseline of an organization’s overall health. From our analysis, we are prepared to build a wellness initiative and develop an organizational strategy with the support and insight of the organization.

Workplace Wellness KCIM’s services will differ from organization to organization because a personalized wellness product is the only way to make a direct impact on the health of their employees.

While some organizations may find it feasible to offer an on-site health clinic, others may only need some basic health coaching. Our wide variety of capabilities allows an organization to customize their wellness initiatives based on their needs and what best fits with their culture.

Improving the Overall Health of an Organization
With a board certified physician overseeing KCIM’s Corporate Medicine and Wellness Division, our sole purpose is to improve the overall health of an organization.Through our proactive model, we can better understand the underlying cause(s) of the increasing health care costs of an organization.

Workplace Wellness programs should be viewed as an investment in a business’s most important asset, its employees. Studies continually show that employees are more likely to perform well when they are in optimal health. Workplace Wellness can be used to drive and influence healthy behaviors, bringing benefits to the employer, the employee, and the community.

Optimal Health is of Great Value
Optimal health is not only of great value to individuals and populations, but also to businesses and industries. Ultimately, a healthier, more productive workforce can help drive greater profitability for employers as well as a healthier economy for our nation.

According to the Harvard Business Review, organizations that choose to implement and sustain a Workplace Wellness program, find, on average, medical costs can fall by about $3.27 and absenteeism costs can improve by about $2.73 for every dollar spent on Wellness programs.

Other studies have also shown that Workplace Wellness programs can reduce sick leave by 28%, medical costs by 26%, and 30% among worker’s compensation claims. Additionally, benefits from implementing Workplace Wellness can include: attracting talented workers, reducing absenteeism, improving on-the-job utilization, improving employee morale, reducing turnover, and improved disease management.

The Benefits of a Workplace Wellness Program
Strengthening the organization’s culture, employee loyalty, and decreasing overall health care costs are the benefits when a wellness program is integrated into the business strategy. Employers need to look beyond health care benefits as a cost to be managed, but rather to the benefits of good health as an investment to be leveraged. With a commitment to health and well-being for our community, Kansas City Internal Medicine is well-positioned to be Kansas City’s hometown workplace wellness solution.

To learn more about our Workplace Wellness programs and how you and your company can benefit, please contact Jacob Wayman with Kansas City Internal Medicine at 913-319-7308 or visit us online at www.kcim.com.

21 Jun

Healthy Strategies For Wellness In The Workplace

Written by Lori Mallory 0 Comments

Post written by Jacob Wayman, Project Manager, Corporate Medicine & Wellness Division, KCIM

Currently in the United States 133 million Americans suffer from one or more chronic conditions and over 75% of our $2 trillion healthcare expenditures are directly related to the care of chronic conditions[1].

With 159 million Americans receiving healthcare coverage through an employer-sponsored plan, there seems to be a major problem here. In a study performed by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, they found that the top ten health conditions that drive the total costs (medical + pharmacy + presenteeism + absenteeism) for employers are as follows:

-          Musculosketal conditions
-          Depression
-          Fatigue
-          Chronic pain
-          Sleeping problems
-          High cholesterol
-          Arthritis
-          Hypertension
-          Obesity
-          Anxiety

With over 75% of employer healthcare and productivity losses being directly related to employee lifestyle choices[2], employers need to take action.

As employers begin their journey towards Workplace Wellness, they need to understand that the chronic conditions listed above are preventable. In fact, it is estimated that 40% of cancer, 80% of heart disease, and 80% of type 2 diabetes are preventable[3].

With more and more organizations passing the costs of healthcare onto their employees through consumer-driven health plans and health savings accounts, the burden of costs is now being seen on both sides of the spectrum.

But unless empowered to be a wise consumer of healthcare, the uneducated employee will avoid care due to higher co-pays and deductibles thus leading to unattended health consequences because shifting costs does not lower cost, just as shifting risk does not reduce risk.

So, what can employers do to help create a healthy workforce?

As the old adage goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  When correctly administered, preventive measures have been tested and proven to improve and keep employees working and healthy. Organizations would be well served by investing in a strategy of prevention and health enhancement.

How can prevention and health enhancement be administered within my workplace?  Essentially, prevention comes in three strategies:

1. PRIMARY

Primary prevention strategies are administered through health promotion, health education, lifestyle management, safety engineering, job ergonomics and organizational design, nutrition, immunization, and other wellness services.  Each of these strategies has the goal of helping people stay healthy and productive.

2. SECONDARY

Screening and early detection programs, health coaching, biometric testing, and proactive work disability prevention programs are seen as secondary prevention strategies because they can identify conditions earlier than by typical clinic manifestation.

3. TERTIARY

Tertiary prevention strategies are administered through disease management, evidence-based quality care management, return to work programs, disability management, and vocational rehabilitation.  These strategies provide earlier interventions, limit the destructive impact of serious medical conditions on basic functionality, can protect or restore lifestyles, and can reduce future costs.

Kansas City Internal Medicine’s Corporate Medicine and Wellness Division has the resources of our 50+ multidisciplinary providers to customize and administer a product that will fit the needs of your particular organization.

We understand that prevention is the foundation of not only medical care, but of an effective workplace wellness program. For more information, please feel free to contact me, Jacob Wayman, at 913-319-7308 or jwayman@kcim.com.


[1] Loeppke, R. (2008). The value of health and the power of prevention. International Journal of Workplace Management, 1(2), p. 95-108.

[2] Condon, M. (2012, March 27). The Cost of Health . [PowerPoint Slides]. Greater Kansas City Healthcare Symposium. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/channels/chambertv/39361842

[3] Kenneth, T. (2008). Keynote Presentation at the American College of Preventive Medicine and Prevention 2008 Conference. Austin, TX.

16 May

Workplace Wellness: What It Is And Why It’s Important To All Of Us

Written by Lori Mallory 0 Comments

Post written by Jacob Wayman, Project Manager, Corporate Medicine & Wellness Division, KCIM

As an employer or employee you may already be aware that ‘Wellness’ is the new buzz word of the health care industry and, more importantly, the workplace. But what exactly is Wellness? And how can we incorporate it in the workplace?

By definition Workplace Wellness is:

“…an organized, employer-sponsored program that is designed to support employees as they adopt and sustain behaviors that reduce health risks, improve quality of life, enhance personal effectiveness, and benefit the organization’s bottom line.”[1]

Why is Workplace Wellness important to an organization?

Studies have shown that nearly 50% of an organization’s profits are consumed by employee health care costs and a ‘high risk’ employee can cost an organization almost $3,000 more per year than their ‘low risk’ colleagues. In addition, ‘high risk’ employees are shown to be 18% less productive, which adds up to 7 hours per week or 2 months per year in lost productivity[2].

Why is Workplace Wellness important to employees?

Every employee has some sort of health risk to varying degrees, whether it is unhealthy eating, lack of exercise or sleep, drinking, smoking, or even something genetic.  By working with an employer who promotes health and wellness, not only will you be more able to complete your daily job responsibilities, but you will have more energy to give to your family and friends after your workday is complete.

Workplace Wellness programs can help employees attain and maintain a healthier lifestyle, even if it is something as simple as learning how to reduce stress and/or muscle strain while you are on the job.

Why should employers pursue Workplace Wellness?

Studies have shown that employers spend around $8,000 annually on each employee’s medical care, which includes medical insurance, disability, and worker’s compensation.

For employers who seek out and implement a Workplace Wellness program, they find that, on average, medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs, and absentee days fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent.

Other studies have shown that Workplace Wellness programs can reduce sick leave by 28%, medical costs by 26%, and 30% among worker’s compensation claims[3].

While changing behavior is solely on employees, employers have a tremendous opportunity to help their employees see the value of adopting healthier behaviors so that they can live healthier lives. An employer’s culture sets the tone for its employees and a supportive work environment, where managers reinforce a sound wellness strategy and keep employees motivated and engaged.

Workplace Wellness programs can be used to drive and reinforce healthy behaviors, bringing benefits to the employer, the employee, and to the community.  In the end, workplace wellness programs should be viewed as an investment in the most important asset any organization has…its employees.  Studies continually show that employees are more likely to perform well when they are in optimal health.

Additional benefits from implementing workplace wellness include:

-          Attracting talented workers

-          Reducing absenteeism

-          Improving on-the-job utilization

-          Improving employee morale

-          Reducing turnover

-          Improved disease management

In conclusion, strengthening the organization’s culture, employee loyalty, and decreasing overall health care costs are the benefits of having a wellness program integrated into the overall business strategy.

For more information regarding Workplace Wellness and how it can benefit your organization, please feel contact Jacob Wayman  with Kansas City Internal Medicine’s Corporate Medicine and Wellness Division at 913-319-7308.

Sources

[1] Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2010/12/whats-the-hard-return-on-employee-wellness-programs/ar/1

[2] Retrieved from http://learnwageworks.com/Webinars/Wellness_at_Work/WW-1256-Wellness-WhitePaper_091108v2.pdf

[3] Retrieved from http://www.fittogethernc.org/WorkplaceWellnessAbout.aspx

09 Apr

Wellness In The Workplace….By Dr. Tyann Hamedi, M.D.

Written by Lori Mallory 0 Comments

Post written by Dr. Tyann G. Hamedi, M.D.

Good health and wellness were previously seen as freedom from disease; but now, good health and wellness are being linked to our lifestyle and the choices we make. Each person has the ability to work toward a healthier lifestyle.

This includes maintaining a proper weight, good nutrition, physical activity, decreasing stress and the control of health risk factors such as blood pressure, elevated glucose levels, tobacco use, alcohol and drug use. All of these have a significant role in today’s wellness.

Benefits of Comprehensive Employer Wellness Programs

Considering that our health impacts our daily life and we spend most of our day at work, it seems obvious that our workplace is an ideal setting for implementing wellness activities and programs.

According to recent studies, 75% of all who have health insurance acquire it through an employer-sponsored plan. The ever-increasing cost of providing health care is the driving force to seek new ways to improve our health and wellness, while trying to decrease costs. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that comprehensive employer wellness programs can:

  • Lower healthcare costs for both the employee and the employer
  • Help employees gain financial rewards/incentives for being healthy
  • Make it easier for people to attain/maintain healthy lifestyles
  • Reduce illness and decrease the rate of absenteeism
  • Build supportive communities in our workforce
  • Optimize performance and productivity
  • Allow each individual a fuller, more enjoyable and healthier lifestyle.

Small Businesses Getting Involved

Traditionally, corporate wellness programs have only been available through large corporations. However, with over 30 million small businesses in the United States employing more than 60 million adults, the small businesses are also getting involved.

In a recent study on small businesses, it was shown that a small business with committed leadership, effective program design, and proper use of incentives can also attain a high level of participation in a comprehensive wellness program, saving health care dollars, just like the larger corporations. Consequently, more small businesses are creating and offering customized wellness programs to benefit their employees and the organization.

Companies Strengthen Competitive Advantage With Wellness Programs

Strengthening the organization’s culture, employee loyalty, and decreasing overall health care costs are the benefits when a wellness program is integrated into the business strategy. It has been demonstrated that these benefits can significantly improve the competitive advantage for these companies through lower medical costs, reduced workers’ compensation, decreased absenteeism and improved productivity.

The escalating costs and the uncertainty of today’s health care environment demands accountability and responsibility toward a healthier lifestyle. We can no longer afford to expect good health and care to be given to us. Each individual must become proactive in making lifestyle decisions, or allow his or her wellbeing to suffer. It is time for medicine and the people they care for to team up and bring wellness, not just illness, into our vocabulary. Times have changed and we must all change with it.

KCIM Launches Corporate Medicine Division

These changes have been the drivers for Kansas City Internal Medicine, the city’s largest privately held internal medicine practice with over 150 employees and serving over 125,000 patient visits per year, to start a new division which will address Corporate Medicine Services for our community. “Corporate Medicine Services will encompass both wellness initiatives and pre-placement services, and injury care. Our goal is to take the high quality care we deliver ‘on the road,’ and provide concierge services to our community employers,” said, Keith Jantz, M.D., President.

“Along with Dr. Hamedi, Dr. Marianne Hudgins, our exemplary ancillary staff, and leadership, we have assembled a team who will not only be able to provide the highest level of care to local employer groups, but also address wellness and productivity in an innovative approach,” said Jantz.

KCIM Partners With Employers

KCIM recognizes that some of the many challenges facing our community today are the high rates of obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and other risk factors that are primarily a result of inactive and indulgent lifestyles. These risks impact the lives of our community both in and outside of the workplace, and, at a minimum, create a model of unsustainable costs for our employers and all related parties.

Our new division will assist employers in hiring quality staff members, improving the health status of their employees, building a culture of health, efficiently addressing injuries and cause, and, as a result, reduce health care costs, improve productivity, improve recruitment and retention, enhance company visibility and ensure social responsibility.

Prevention Is Key

At KCIM, we believe prevention is one of the most important hallmarks in medicine. By providing services that can include employee education, vaccinations, weight/exercise program management, and one-on-one health care management of those high-risk employees, prevention and wellness will be started. On the other side of prevention is proper treatment of illness and injury care.

We are pleased to offer these full onsite services as well. KCIM also provides full Occupational Medicine services in our Overland Park office, where we can address workplace injuries, drug screenings, pre- and post-offer employment physicals and all related services.

To learn more about the Corporate Medicine & Wellness Division at KCIM, please call us today at 913-451-8500.