Corporate Wellness BlogCorporate wellness and employee wellness blog

Wellness Program Step 1 – Make sure to set the Foundation -

Build Support Among All Levels of the Organization

A key to a successful Wellness Program requires management commitment and employee involvement.

Wellness Program Step 2 –  Form a Wellness Committee

An active Health Promotion Committee ensures worker involvement, provides buy-in, senior level management support, and maintains a crew that is ready to take action to integrate wellness programs.

Health Promotion Program Step 3 –  Gather Data to Identify Key Needs and Expectations

The next critical component is to base the Wellness Program on the needs and interests of your organization and its personnel.

Health Promotion Program Step 4 –  Establish Objectives and Goals

Objectives and objectives are the road maps to guide you where your program needs to go.   These are the foundation for planning and evaluating  activities to ensure that your wellness program is going to meet your unique needs.

Health Promotion Program Step 5 – Create a Detailed Action Plan

There is no such thing as over planning!  the best of intentions can get lost, overstepped, or forgotten without adequate planning, and then it would be all for naught.

Wellness Program Step 6 – Pick and Implement a Plan

Armed with the needs assessment information, a Health Promotion Committee, and objectives and objectives, it’s now time to put your plan into action!

Wellness Program Step 7 –  Monitor and Evaluate Your Wellness Program

Examination is a necessary step to keep a wellness program on target, in addition to to ensure that the wellness program is reaching its goals or achieving the desired results.

Summary

These Seven Steps outline considerations for a robust approach to establish an effective health promotion program. Can you implement components of wellness activities without following these steps?

Certainly, but you may not have the sustainability or ability to obtain desired outcomes.  Following the Seven Steps doesn’t have to be complicated or burdensome.  A very simple approach can achieve a successful health promotion program!

Thus, to ensure a successful wellness program consider the key components as you plan your wellness program or improve your current wellness program -

o  Senior Level Management Support and Employee Involvement

o  Active Health Promotion Committee

o  Health Promotion Program is Based on Worker Needs and Interests

o  Objectives and Goals are Established

o  Detailed Action Plan Based on Resources and Budget

o  Wellness Program Implementation and Internal Marketing

o  Evaluation of Wellness Program Outcomes

The wellness program design choices depend on the goals and desired outcomes of your wellness program. If your goal is to help staff change behavior, reduce risk factors, or save healthcare dollars then your wellness program would be designed to accomplish those outcomes and a budget would be necessary to support that design.

There are different wellness program design levels depending on desired outcomes and budgets.  Each level has advantages and drawbacks.  The intentions or results are quite different, aren’t interchangeable respecting obtaining the same results, and consequently shouldn’t be confused.

For  instance, scheduling activities like an employee wellness fair or lunchtime education sessions, or having pamphlets available do not ordinarily result in behavior change, but may increase awareness on a topic.

When the goal is behavior change then a different design is required, like Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs and Organizational Support.  The outline below describes the wellness design levels with a brief explanation.

Awareness Programs –   at this level a corporation makes medical information available and accessible to employees.  This kind of health promotion program can include flyers on a selection of topics, wellness articles in newsletters, bulletin board displays, e-mail health messages, etc.

Additionally, most wellness fairs are designed as awareness programs with vendors providing information and providing medical testings to personnel.

Awareness programs are inexpensive and don’t require extensive employee or corporation time commitments. Notwithstanding, these health promotion programs don’t generally result in healthier behavior change.

Increasing awareness is not generally enough to generate lifestyle changes for most individuals, unless used to motivate workers to register for a wellness program being offered at the organization or community on the topic.

An example of this would be providing information on the harmful effects of smoking and inviting workers who smoke to register for a smoking cessation class.

Education Programs –   Educational health promotion programs often provide more information on a topic and can also provide time for questions and answers, but are similar to awareness health promotion programs.  An example is lunch-n-learn sessions on a health related topic.

These cost the company a little more than awareness programs; notwithstanding, they’re still low cost and do not require a great deal of time for planning or attending a session.

Again, increasing awareness and providing information might not lead to the desired behavior modification unless ongoing support or incentives are also planned.

Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs –   These wellness programs are designed as 4 to 12 weekly sessions or workshops to provide wellness education, address barriers and provide opportunities to practice the desired skills.

Behavior change programs as a result require more corporation resources, cost more, and require more worker commitment, time and effort.  The results are often the desired positive lifestyle change, which if sustained can lead to potential cost savings.

Examples are use of tobacco cessation classes, losing weight and weight control meetings, or an ongoing fitness program.

Environmental and Organizational Support –   Environmental support is often considered the highest and most critical level to include when designing your health promotion program for support and maintain healthy behaviors.

These types of design choices include policy changes like -

o  Creating a smoke-free worksite

o  Designating a walking path,

o  Establishing onsite health clubs,

o  Ensuring healthy vending machine selections,

o  Offering healthy food choices in the cafeteria, and/or

o  Establishing flex-time policies.

Other examples include subsidizing healthy vending machines or cafeteria choices; reimbursing fitness center or weight reduction and weight control program memberships; or providing insurance incentives for healthy behaviors.

Ideally, the health promotion program design would include some of all of these choices.  The more robust and integrated the approach, the more successful the results will be.  For example, a organization can -

o  have smoking cessation information available;

o  can schedule a one hour awareness session on the harmful effects of smoking and how to quit;

o  can implement an on-site use of tobacco cessation program,

o  supply self quit use of tobacco kits, or

o  support workforce to attend a community program; and/or

o  on an environmental support level can establish a tobacco-free workplace and grounds,

o  offer lower insurance premiums for non-smokers, or

o  provide pharmacological quit smoke aids for free.

Health Promotion Program –  Components for Success

There are several key components or elements that should be considered to ensure the success of your Health Promotion Program or health promotion program.  These include -

o  Upper Management Support and Staff Member Involvement

o  Active Health Promotion Committee

o  Program is Based on Staff Member Needs and Interests

o  Goals and Objectives are Established

o  Detailed Action Plan Based on Resources and Budget

o  Program Implementation and Internal Marketing

o  Examination of Outcomes and Program

Major benefits of healthful workforce include -

o  Lower Healthcare Costs

o  Reduced Injuries

o  Lowered Absenteeism

o  Better Morale and Loyalty

o  Higher Productivity

o  Decreased Use of Healthcare Benefits

o  Reduced Workers’ Compensation / Disability

o  Positive Perception in Community

o  Reduced Turnover

o  Improved recruitment for skilled employees

What’s NOT having a Wellness Program costing your organization?

Consider the health risk factors that are increasing chronic illnesss for adults -

o  59 percent of adults are overweight or obese

o  Greater than 60 percent of American adults don’t exercise regularly

o  Greater than 75 percent of adults do not consume the minimum recommendations for fruits and vegetables

o  Heart illness is the most common cause of death and the leading cause of death in smokers

o  26 percent of personnel stated they were often or very often burned out or stressed by their work

Health Care Costs are Increasing –  Health Care costs are at a record high of $1.7 trillion with no signs of holding steady let alone decreasing.  The average cost of annual healthcare spending is over $5,000 per individuals and with dependents nearly $10,000.

Recent data shows that health care related expenses now cost North Carolina corporations thousands of dollars per worker, each year.

Most Diseases can be Prevented –  Although it sounds unbelievable, professionals indicate that avoidable illness makes up 60 percent – 70 percent of the entire burden of illness in the United States

In North Carolina, it is estimated that more than 53% of all deaths are preventable, and that 2/3 of all avoidable deaths are due to tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.

Stress Levels are Increasing –   as corporation resources become less and companies adopt leaner work practices, the effects of absenteeism and productivity lost have a greater impact.

In a recent national poll, 78% of American Citizens described their jobs as stressful, and the majority felt that stress levels have become worse over the last 10 years. Further, high levels of organizational stress can negatively affect a company by increasing injuries, absenteeism, and medical costs while lowering productivity.

Simple solutions such as stress management education, flexible work schedules, quality social interaction, and increased participation in organization decision-making can improve stress levels in the workplace.

What’s the Upfront Cost and Time Investment for a Wellness Program?

The fee depends on the type of Health Promotion Program implemented.  There are a few options to promote staff member health with advantages and drawbacks of each.  The wellness program design depends on the objectives of the wellness program, the company resources, and the community resources available.

Improving dietary practices, increasing exercise levels, managing stress or addressing work life balance issues, and reducing/eliminating tobacco use, are main strategies for preventing many of the most common preventable chronic diseases.

The possibilities of how your organization addresses these issues are endless and can range from increasing staff member awareness, which could include buying several flyers on a selection of topics, and measuring walking distances around your facility.

Other possibilities include establishing organizational support like funding a fulltime occupational health expert or building an onsite fitness club.

When well planned and based on your goals, any of these health promotion programs can help you succeed.  Refer below to Health Promotion Program Design Choices for more ideas.

A Wellness Program is an organized wellness program to assist and support workforce in establishing healthier lifestyles.  This can include increasing staff member awareness on health topics, scheduling behavior modification programs, and/or establishing corporation policies that support health-related goals.

Programs and policies that promote increased physical activity, smoking prevention and cessation, and healthful food selections are a few examples.

Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness is more than fitness.  In addition to fitness, the dimensions of optimal health include

o  Spiritual Wellness Dimension

o  Emotional Dimension of Wellness

o  Social Dimension of Wellness

o  Intellectual Wellness Dimension

These Wellness Dimensions are often depicted as a “life wheel” with examples of health components that include -

o  fitness,

o  nutrition,

o  purpose in life,

o  financial planning,

o  social connections and support systems,

o  stress management,

o  mind-body health,

o  career planning and

o  continued learning.

The key for individual health is keeping the “life wheel” in balance.  A robust wellness program addresses most, when not all, of these dimensions.

Why Employee Wellness?

Staff Members spend a excellent deal of time on the job, and the truth is that our traditional work-week is increasing. Truly, the average American now works about 47 hours per week.

Plus, technologies like modems, laptops, cellular phones, voice and email have blurred the work-life boundary.  These realities reduce the amount of time that the typical individual can devote to wellness pursuits, and yet staff are expected to be at top performance when at work.

A recent study  by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses found that corporate wellness or wellness programs are successful in assisting workforce make positive health changes due to several factors such as convenience, environmental support, and peer or social acceptance.

What is the Link between Wellness and the Worksite?

Programs and policies that promote healthy behaviors could make a big difference on employee health promotion AND have an impact on the organization’s bottom line.   Studies have shown that for every dollar invested by businesss in employee health promotion/health promotion programs, there were savings ranging from $1.49 to $4.91 with a median savings of $3.14*.

In business terms, that is more than a 3 – 1 minimum return on investment – a number that is hard to ignore, and a best practice that should warrant serious consideration from organizations.

Indeed, a employee wellness literature review posted in Health Promotion Practitioner Journal found -

o  19 studies found a 28.3 percent reduction in sick leave

o  16 studies demonstrated a 5.6 – 1 return on investment

o  23 showed a 26.1% reduction in healthcare costs

o  4 found a 30 percent reduction in direct medical and workers’ compensation claims

There’s little doubt that a robust wellness program targeted to meet a corporation’s specific needs can reduce costs by decling absenteeism, lowering healthcare expenditures, decling worker turnover, and increasing productivity.

o  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003

Ten Steps Toward Strategic Wellness Programs

The Wellness Program management world is evolving rapidly. Each month, there are new research findings that support the premise that Wellness Programs and disease management (DM) have a long-term impact on healthcare costs.

Many big corporations that began Wellness Programs three to five years ago are showing savings in health, disability, and personnel compensation costs. Small to mid-size corporations are watching all this and wondering where to start with wellness.

Getting senior level management support and budget approval is among the challenges at the beginning of a Wellness Program. This is the case because Wellness Programs could be expensive, averaging $150-300 per staff member per year in large organizations.

Most of the savings aren’t realized for a number of years. This long-term investing is hard for businesses on the move.

The key to success for Wellness Programs is to take a strategic approach. Here are ten steps to consider when starting a Wellness Program.

1. Start with executive management. Without executive management support, a wellness strategy can fall flat. Start with the health of your executive team and discover your wellness champions at the top of the company.

2. Analyze the problem. Look at your healthcare claims and analyze the trends. Which conditions are driving your medical, disability, and workers’ compensation claims and which are modifiable? What’s worked and what hasn’t as a result far? What’s the long-term impact of doing nothing?

3. Hold an initial wellness meeting. Invite your key stakeholders both inside and outside the organization. Ask your broker to facilitate the meeting and invite key health providers including health, disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), fitness, and occupational nursing.

Review claims and utilization data and identify key areas of concern. Look at current offerings and see how they can be tailored to the needs of the population.

4. Consider both healthy and unhealthy workforce. Since 85 percent of claims are usually attributed to 15 percent of claimants, it is essential to reach those with the most costly conditions while also reaching people  who are at risk for developing avoidable diseases in the future.

Voluntary health promotion programs like lunchtime wellness workshops miss many of the people  who need them most. Consider health promotion programs that are population-wide or target intact workgroups. Health Promotion incentives help but do not motivate everybody.

5. Make certain to set short-term objectives for the wellness programs. Make certain to set some realistic short-term objectives based on your key areas of concern. Are there any plan design changes that could have an immediate impact on spending? Are there some programmatic actions that could have immediate results?

6. Find out what staff members are thinking. Hold some focus groups to determine where individuals  are with wellness. What’s working? What isn’t? How much interest do individuals  have in the Health Promotion Programs? What obstacles and barriers are staff members experiencing when they try to change behavior?

7. Make certain you have a high-impact Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Your first wellness dollars should go into upgrading your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). A highly utilized Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide a foundation for all your future wellness activities.

A good Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a trusted link to the hearts and minds of staff.  At no additional cost, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide needed follow-up coaching and personal attention for staff who are working on modifiable health behaviors or involved in disease management programs.

Nutritionists, fitness, pregnancy, and stress management professionals are all part of a high-value Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP).

8. Make sure to set three to five year objectives for health care savings and measure them. Get help from your broker and insurance carrier help you on long-term objectives for your health, disability, and employees compensation plans.

Establish program metrics that’ll help you to measure Return On Investment (ROI). Go beyond participation rates, completion rates and program satisfaction. Measure changes in readiness, changes in behavior, and changes in risk factors. Establish rigorous methods to measure health care savings over the long term.

9. Make sure to set goals for organizational health. Consider the more intangible advantages of a health promotion program and quantify them whenever possible. Include worker turnover rates, cost of new hires, worker morale, benefit satisfaction data, and company of option issues in establishing goals. Establish ways to measure success in these areas.

10. Add specifics to your short and long-term plan. Include a program strategy, a communication strategy, and an incentive strategy that will fit with your corporate culture. Focus on integration of related components along a health continuum with communications that are focused, simple, and human.

Establish a budget that includes key components such as consumer education, wellness, health risk assessments, and regular biometric screens.

Wellness Programs are vital to improving the health of our nations. Most adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a great venue for promoting healthy habits.

The workplace organizational culture and environment are powerful influences on behavior and this needs to be put to use as a means of assisting employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Benefits to Wellness Programs include -

o  Weight reduction

o  Enhanced physical fitness

o  Better stamina

o  Lower amounts of stress

o  Better wellness, self-image and self-esteem

Companys can also benefit from Health Promotion Programs. As reported by recent research, corporations’ benefits are -

o  Better recruitment and retention of healthful personnel

o  Reduced health care costs

o  Lowered rates of illness and injuries

o  Reduced staff member absenteeism

o  Enhanced employee relations and morale

o  Improved productivity

o  Weight loss

o  Better fitness

o  Increased stamina

o  Lower amounts of stress

o  Better well-being, self-image and self-esteem

Corporations can also benefit from Wellness Programs. According to recent research, companys’ benefits are -

o  Better recruitment and retention of healthy workers

o  Lowered health care costs

o  Lowered rates of disease and injuries

o  Decreased worker absenteeism

o  Enhanced employee relations and morale

o  Better productivity

A United States  Department of Health and Human Services report revealed that at worksites with exercise programs as components of their Health Promotion Programs have -

o  Reduced healthcare costs by 20 to 55%

o  Decreased short-term sick time by six to 32 percent

o  Better productivity by two to 52%

Thanks to modern medicine, life expectancy for American Citizens has continually increased. How much we enjoy these additional years, however, depends greatly on how we have lived our lives.

If our quality of life is to remain high so that we can fully enjoy these extra years, we must practice good consuming habits, be active and refrain from using tobacco products.

Who needs Wellness Programs? If you work in an office or a jobsite or are a member of an organization who spends a considerable amount of time at work, you’ll benefit from a well-designed employee wellness program. Staff Members spend a minimum of about 200 hours a month at work – a considerable amount of time.

Moreover, stress, distractions and the pressures of the job can take its toll on the staff member, which makes it important that a health promotion program is implemented.

Today, all across America, Canada, Europe and Asia, top corporate Wellness Programs are being used to help improve staff member conditions at work and reduce the cost of staff member healthcare.

Some of the top Wellness Programs currently in use today include -

Wellness Programs – Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) (HRAs)

HRA is a top Health Promotion Program currently in use globally. Organizations that start it determine the safety and health concerns of workers by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the workers.

It can, for instance, guide the business into determining how much air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment team to come up with the measures necessary to correct the problem.

An Health Risk Assessment (HRA) can also evaluate the level of exposure workforce have to certain hazardous or hazardous materials and practices.

Health Promotion Programs – Immunizations.

This isn’t always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. Nevertheless, it has also become an important component of the top Health Promotion Programs in many businesses in North America.

Immunization shots, like those used to combat flu, for instance, are offered to workforce for free.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Worker Assistance Programs (EAPs) consist of a broad variety of services. It can range from providing educational resources to staff members regarding health issues to sponsoring health services and medical care. In many companies, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.

Weight Management Programs

This is another wellness program that businesses use, in particular those that offer in-house commissary or cafeteria services. Instead of serving richer, high-calorie fare, cafeterias offer options for a healthier diet, typically in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.

Worker Wellness Newsletters – Health Education Programs

One of the top Health Promotion Programs that organizations can begin is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to promote wellness, coupled with a visible campaign.

The campaign could  be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, like smoking hazards, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the worksite, etc.

The newsletter in itself can be an effective means to deliver information to workforce or members of an organization but it’s far from perfect. Some workforce, for instance, may not read the newsletter in its entirety or even pay attention to it.

When the issues outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.

Fitness and Fitness Plans

Another top wellness program for organizations is one that involves physical activities. Businesses often sponsor exercise-related events like marathons and company sports programs to encourage staff members to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized organizations, organizations might even pay for fitness club memberships or in-house exercise facilities.

Wellness Program Incentives.

Some of the top Wellness Programs implemented by organizations involve incentive rewards. This involves company-sponsored programs that reward staff members for achieving specific wellness objectives.

Participation in health campaigns and signing up for Health Promotion Programs are two of the most commonly rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to points (for bigger rewards) to specific gifts. In a few cases, cash might also be used.

Notwithstanding, incentive systems have had mixed reactions and levels of success. But it continues to be one of the top choices among organizations who are willing to modify it for fit their unique needs.

Wellness Programs – Group Activities

In many organizations, organizations take advantage of coworker pressure to encourage workers to participate in Wellness Programs. This is currently one of the favorite employee Wellness Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity.

Colleague pressure is usually leveraged to help promote competitions referring to corporate health promotion and to persuade workers to be active in company-sponsored wellness fairs.

Health promotion programs at the corporate level are beneficial, right? Wellness statistics obviously show that such wellness programs aren’t only cost-effective to the business but can assist the staff member in developing a healthier lifestyle.

With the rising cost of healthcare, health promotion programs simply make sense. So where does the problem come in? Let us examine the topic from both perspectives.

Health Promotion Programs –  the Good

o  A sampling of corporate returns on investment for health promotion programs –  Bank of America –  600%; General Motors – 370%; Pepsico –  300%; Citibank –  465%; and the Washoe County School District leading the pack at a whopping 1,560%. (Campbell,J., Wellness Improvement Experts, www.wellnessimprovementprofessionals.com, Albuquerque, New Mexico.)

o  Businesses with health promotion programs have realized a 28% reduction in sick time, a 26% reduction in adjunctive health care costs and a 30% reduction in disability and staff members compensation costs. (Health Affairs, Volume 21, No.2, March, 2002.)

o  The Washoe county School District in Northern Nevada realized a $15.60 return on investment for every dollar spent as a result of a 20 percent reduction in absenteeism. (Hardy,A. (2005).  At the Top of the Class. WELCOA’s Absolute Advantage Magazine, 5(1), 14-20.)

o  Health promotion programs provide the structure, encouragement, incentives and ongoing support that many person need to make lifestyle changes.

o  Employees also realize returns on their efforts. FiServ, a financial services technology business, gave staff who filled out a health risk assessment a significant discount on their health insurance premium. (Holland, Kelley, the New York Times, July 22, 2007.)

Wellness Programs –  the Bad

The flip side of the argument centers on basic human rights. Do we want/need our corporation to tell us to eat our veggies or lose 30 pounds? Many businesses are doing just that and at least one lawsuit has resulted because of it.

o  Three hundred companies have requested assistance from a national employment and labor law firm to institute more aggressive health promotion programs.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Clarian Health, based in Indianapolis, Will begin decling worker paychecks by $10.00 for every worker who has a Body Mass Index  of greater than 29.9 because not enough staff were utilizing their wellness services.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Scott Rodrigues filed a suit against his prospective company, Scotts Miracle-Gro, because he believed the organization’s antiuse of tobacco policy violated his civil rights.  The business has a policy against hiring personnel who smoke and Mr. Rodrigues’drug screen was positive for nicotine.(Holland, Kelley, the New York Times,July 22,2007.)

o  Worker advocates are concerned that health discrimination might not be covered beneath the American Citizens with Disabilities Act.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

Penalizing employees by hitting them hardest where it hurts the most,their pocketbook, doesn’t appear to be a favorable approach to molding human behavior.

Such tactics may lead to increased resentments and retaliation, mainly in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism (decreased productivity on the job.) Voluntary, incentive-based wellness programs, like the one in the Washoe County School District, can and do produce results.

A positive attitude on the part of upper management along with an opportunity for staff members to have a stake in the decision-making may yield the greatest dividends to both employer and staff member.

The motivation and resolve needed to change unhealthy lifestyle habits can best be derived from the basic tenets of encouragement, respect and support.

Getting Started – Secure upper-level management support

o  Justifications for having a health fair

o  Health risk assessments

o  Be certain to help for high-risk population –  smokers, obese staff

o  Early detection of diabetes, heart disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure)

Health Fair Participation – Identify your audience

o  Workers only, whole family, retirees?

o  Community involvement? Theme?

Wellness Fair Time Line

o  Make certain to set a date and time Allow 4-6 months of planning time

Wellness Fair Planning

o  Identify health-related screenings, tests, other activities you’ll offer Identify educational literature and other learning opportunities wellness fair will provide Include any “fun” activities, or food/beverage needs for the fair

Wellness Fair Location and Logistics

o  Consider location big enough to accommodate the biggest volume of individuals  at “peak time” periods

o  Determine how booths/stations will be set up

Wellness Fair Vendors

o  Target relevant health/safety-related community and corporate providers to provide services, educational materials, incentives and giveaways

Health Fair Marketing

o  Determine marketing tools to be used to inform employees/participants (posters, mailings, e-mail)

o  Determine any incentives or giveaways that will be included in the fair or used to encourage participation in the fair

Health Fair Scheduling

o  Coordinate timing and events with staff and/or volunteers

Health Fair Personnel

o  Schedule appropriate experts Physician or similar health care personnel to provide patient consultation for review of blood draw lab results

o  Nurse(s) to administer immunizations

o  Administrative/all-purpose individual to facilitate paper work, finger sticks and to provide general assistance

o  Pharmacist or pharmacist assistant when appropriate Dietitian for nutritional counseling suggested personnel designated for wellness fairs

Footnotes

1 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation via Reuters Health E-Line.

2 Kaiser Daily Policy on Health Report, (9/11/03)

3 www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/lower_cost.htm

4 “Is Stress Nibbling Away at Your Bottom Line?” By Stephen Alper, Nov. 15, 2002.

5 Wellness in the Workplace, Michael P. O’Donnell, page 415.

6 http – //www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/internal/dayto/dayto_6.html

Getting Started – Secure upper-level management support

o  Justifications for having a health fair

o  Health risk assessments

o  Be certain to help for high-risk population –  smokers, obese staff

o  Early detection of diabetes, heart disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure)

Health Fair Participation – Identify your audience

o  Workers only, whole family, retirees?

o  Community involvement? Theme?

Wellness Fair Time Line

o  Make certain to set a date and time Allow 4-6 months of planning time

Wellness Fair Planning

o  Identify health-related screenings, tests, other activities you’ll offer Identify educational literature and other learning opportunities wellness fair will provide Include any “fun” activities, or food/beverage needs for the fair

Wellness Fair Location and Logistics

o  Consider location big enough to accommodate the biggest volume of individuals  at “peak time” periods

o  Determine how booths/stations will be set up

Wellness Fair Vendors

o  Target relevant health/safety-related community and corporate providers to provide services, educational materials, incentives and giveaways

Health Fair Marketing

o  Determine marketing tools to be used to inform employees/participants (posters, mailings, e-mail)

o  Determine any incentives or giveaways that will be included in the fair or used to encourage participation in the fair

Health Fair Scheduling

o  Coordinate timing and events with staff and/or volunteers

Health Fair Personnel

o  Schedule appropriate experts Physician or similar health care personnel to provide patient consultation for review of blood draw lab results

o  Nurse(s) to administer immunizations

o  Administrative/all-purpose individual to facilitate paper work, finger sticks and to provide general assistance

o  Pharmacist or pharmacist assistant when appropriate Dietitian for nutritional counseling suggested personnel designated for wellness fairs

Footnotes

1 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation via Reuters Health E-Line.

2 Kaiser Daily Policy on Health Report, (9/11/03)

3 www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/lower_cost.htm

4 “Is Stress Nibbling Away at Your Bottom Line?” By Stephen Alper, Nov. 15, 2002.

5 Wellness in the Workplace, Michael P. O’Donnell, page 415.

6 http – //www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/internal/dayto/dayto_6.html