Health screenings are important programs to identify chronic illness in their early stages. Once identified, wellness intervention programs can help prevent a illness from progressing.
Working with local hospitals and other organizations, you can obtain information on providing screening and intervention programs that could improve your employees’ health and save your business money in absenteeism, treatment for disease complications, and decreased productivity.
Below are some ideas to help get you began.
Based on your Worker Needs and Interest Survey and the demographics of your workplace, consider offering periodic screenings to find specific health risks like –
• Blood Pressure (BP) Checks to identify workers with pre-hypertension or hypertension (high blood pressure),
• Cholesterol Screenings for total, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and/or Triglycerides
• Blood Sugar Screenings fasting or non-fasting to screen for possible diabetes,
• Body composition, such as Body Mass Index (BMI) or body fat measures
• Bone density for potential risk of osteoporosis,
• Cancer screenings like, skin examinations, mammograms, or PSA screenings,
• Vision checks for glaucoma, or visual acuity
• Other screenings depending on your employee population and needs
Your local hospital, business doctor practice, or health department my provide assistance. Notwithstanding, when you have a young workforce you might want to concentrate on programs that will keep them healthful rather than screening for early identification of chronic condition.
The focus of your health promotion program could be healthy lifestyle practices to reduce risk and prevent illness.
In addition to the medical screenings, consider offering a Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} to all workers. the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} will help to identify factors that may lead to additional risks, like smoking history, stress levels, perception of health, family history, job satisfaction, support systems, and mental health.
Often the screening results are included on the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}, which provides a more extensive snap shot of health risks. the summary results provide the important information to plan appropriate interventions.
Health Promotion Program Interventions
The key to the success of screenings and Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s / Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s is the interventions or follow-up programs. the information from the screenings increases awareness and often motivates employees to consider making healthier changes.
It’s the follow up interventions that provide the essential support and assistance needed for employees to actually make and maintain those changes.
The interventions can include individual follow-up and ongoing counseling, individual or group medical coaching on the risk factors, behavior change programs, and/or organizational support. Examples include –
• Strategies to lower blood pressure
• Managing diabetes
• Taking care of your heart
• Healthful eating
• Weight loss strategies
• Increasing physical activity
• Use of tobacco Cessation
Of course, this is for individual information only. Any follow-up interventions planned by the company would be based on interest expressed by the staff member.
Based on the results and your Health Promotion Committee goals you are able to plan the best strategies for your business and employees. Consider the community resources available to provide services, like health associations, hospitals, healthcare providers, and/or public health agencies.
The Quick Health Promotion Program Ideas provides Quick program idea tips for your consideration. Additionally refer to Prevention Strategies to determine the best approach for your business based on the wellness budget to reach the desired outcomes and goals established.
Corporate Wellness Companies