Wellness manager puts theory into practice
Wellness manager puts theory into practice
As a long-time member of the University of Michigan Health Management Research Center (HMRC) Corporate Consortium, Pam Witting, MSW, manager of health services for Honeywell in Phoenix, is a firm believer in the importance of targeting low-risk employees. In fact, it’s already a major component of her corporate wellness program.
"I have worked with the University of Michigan since 1985, when I was at Steelcase," she notes. "I am very familiar with HMRC’s data; we found out a good deal about the subject through our own research at Steelcase, as well. For example, we found that costs increase 52% when people shift from low- to high-risk. Dr. [Dee W.] Edington’s studies also showed that when an individual avoids one risk, it’s a $350 saving per risk."
Witting’s strategy at Honeywell has been to provide a comprehensive program. A key part of that strategy is a low-risk process for health and productivity. There are five specific things Witting does to target low-risk people:
1. Healthy People 2000+ incentive program. Employees receive points for participating in health-related activities, and turn in their points for gift certificates.
2. Personal health assessment. Witting uses HMRC’s instrument.
3. Reach Your Peak fitness program. Low-risk participants who are wellness center members receive a fitness assessment, a personalized program design, and one-on-one training sessions.
4. Fitness challenges. Offered four times a year, each challenge targets different components of fitness.
5. Health education classes.
"Just looking at this, I would say the majority of our wellness budget focuses on low-risk individuals, because a good deal of the budget goes to our incentive program, the fitness challenges, and health assessments," says Witting.
Witting’s decision to place this focus was based on persuasive data. "Using Dr. Edington’s figures, the HMRC has shown that approximately 32% of our population of 8,000 is high-risk. If we reduced a minimum of one risk factor, we would be saving $392,000 per year. But if low-risk individuals continued to avoid a minimum of one risk factor, there would be a cost avoidance figure of $1.9 million per year."
[For more information, contact: Pam Witting, Honeywell, 16404 N. Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85053. Telephone: (602) 231-4537.]
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